Dr. Strangelove came out in 1964 during the Cold War era. This was a stressful time for many Americans as the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union was greatly deteriorating and many feared nuclear war that would result in mass destruction. Law enforcement took steps to prosecute Communists, individuals learned how to prepare for bombs just as we prepare for earthquakes today, and people constantly lived in fear that one nation would bomb the other resulting in retaliation and destruction. Therefore, the 1960’s was a time in which Americans were captivated by dark comedy because of the “social disillusionment” in the nation (“Comedy: Dark Comedy”). Even literature at the time contained dark comedy such as Joseph Heller’s…show more content… Strangelove helped give them a laugh to alleviate their worries, while also pinpointing the problems and dangers regarding officials in power during this nuclear…show more content… Strangelove creates suspense despite its satirical nature because of the plot’s focus on stopping nuclear war. The National Society of Film Critics highlights this structure by stating that, “The action is divided neatly and plausibly into three main sections, separate in space and concurrent in time. With the fate of the world at hand, suspense was practically built into the theme of the film” (Byron 182). These three main sections that are crosscut in a different space / same time nature consist of the events in the War Room, General Ripper’s office, and inside the B-52 plane carrying the bomb. Ultimately, each of the individuals in these settings have different motives as Ripper crosses the Pentagon and orders a bomb on the Soviet Union, much to the displeasure of the President. Ultimately, since Ripper refuses to give up the hidden code to prevent the bombings, the military personnel on the plane are intent
