As those under his command defend the airbase against those sent to make him issue the recall order a seconded British officer attempts to win him back around. Meanwhile America's 'Top Brass' assemble in the Pentagon War Room to discuss what can be done.
Another classic I've somehow missed, Stanley Kubrick's black comedy is both less farcical and more serious than expected but also less funny. The little clips I'd seen had been the "funnies".
Some things are classic because they got there first. A sort of cultural land grab and I think I'd put this in that category.
It's well done in parts, but Peter Sellers' turn as the titular character is cringe inducing, as is George C. Scott as "Buck Turgidson". There's also a "Colonel Bat Guano". We're talking real Allo Allo level silly names and innuendo stuff.
It's not bad, it's just old fashioned and large chunks of comedy (or at least my appreciation of it) has moved on. People rail against cringe comedy like "Space Force" but put it side by side with Dr. Strangelove and the resemblance is uncannily strong.
Oddly I liked the more serious side of it far more than the comedy and was pleased to see Slim Pickens' famous ride down on the nuke (something I always wondered about the setup for) was accident more than gung-ho madness. Which is what the "funnies" made it look like.
Overall 7/10 but it has aged poorly in my opinion and fresh eyes, viewing without a nostalgic or reverent filter can see its slight creakiness.