Taglines: The anti-war satire of epic proportions.
Catch-22 movie storyline. WW2, the Mediterranean theatre. Captain Yossarian is the bombardier of a B-25 medium bomber. His squadron’s missions largely involve bombing targets on the Italian mainland. A veteran of countless missions, he has become cynical about the war and pessimistic about his chances of surviving. He should have been rotated home a long time ago, but the Wing’s Commanding Officer, Colonel Cathcart, keeps raising the number of missions required to rotate out. Yossarian hits upon a plan to get sent home. However, there’s a catch.
Catch-22 is a 1970 American black comedy war film adapted from the 1961 novel of the same name by Joseph Heller. In creating a black comedy revolving around the “lunatic characters” of Heller’s satirical anti-war novel set at a fictional Mediterranean base during World War II, director Mike Nichols and screenwriter Buck Henry (also in the cast) worked on the film script for two years, converting Heller’s complex novel to the medium of film.
The cast included Alan Arkin, Bob Balaban, Martin Balsam, Richard Benjamin, Italian actress Olimpia Carlisi, French comedian Marcel Dalio, Art Garfunkel (his acting debut), Jack Gilford, Charles Grodin, Bob Newhart, Anthony Perkins, Austin Pendleton, Paula Prentiss, Martin Sheen, Jon Voight, and Orson Welles.
The anti-war song “Survivor Guilt” by punk rock band Rise Against features samples of dialog from the movie, specifically the discussion between Nately and the old man about the fall of great countries and potential fall of the USA, and their argument about the phrase “It’s better to live on your feet than die on your knees.” The same excerpts from the film previously were used by lead singer Tim McIlrath, in the song “Burden”, recorded by his former band, Baxter.
About the Story
Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Army Air Force B-25 bombardier, is stationed on the Mediterranean base on Pianosa during World War II. Along with his squadron members, Yossarian is committed to flying dangerous missions, but after watching friends die, he seeks a means of escape.
Futilely appealing to his commanding officer, Colonel Cathcart, who continually increases the number of missions required to rotate home before anyone can reach it, Yossarian learns that even a mental breakdown is no release when Doc Daneeka, explains the “Catch-22” the Army Air Corps employs.
While most crews are rotated out after twenty-five, the minimum number of missions for this base is eventually raised to an unobtainable eighty missions; a figure resulting from Colonel Cathcart’s craving for publicity. Compliance with this insane number invokes regulation 22 for which, as explained by Doc Daneeka, there is a catch: An airman would have to be crazy to fly more missions, and if he were crazy he would be unfit to fly. Yet, if an airman would refuse to fly more missions, this would indicate that he is sane, which would mean that he would be fit to fly the missions.
Another strange “catch” in the movie involves Major Major, who had recently been promoted by Brigadier General Dreedle, who didn’t like the look of the name “Capt. Major” on the roll call. Capt. Major was promoted to Major Major and put in charge of a squadron, very much against his will. Major didn’t want to be bothered, so he told First Sgt. Towser that if someone wanted to talk to Major Major, the person had to wait in the waiting room until office hours were over, unless Major wasn’t in his office. Then the visitor could go right in, but Major wouldn’t be there.
Trapped by this convoluted logic, Yossarian watches as individuals in the squadron resort to unusual means to cope; Lt. Milo Minderbinder concocts elaborate black market schemes while crazed Captain “Aarfy” Aardvark commits murder to silence a girl he raped. Lieutenant Nately falls for a prostitute, Major Danby delivers goofy pep talks before every bomb run and Captain Orr keeps crashing at sea.
Meanwhile, Nurse Duckett occasionally beds Yossarian. Nately dies as a result of an agreement between Milo and the Germans, trading surplus cotton in exchange for the squadron bombing its own base. While on a pass, Yossarian shares this news with Captain Nately’s Whore, who then tries to kill him.
Because of Yossarian’s constant complaints, Colonel Cathcart and Lt. Colonel Korn eventually agree to send him home, promising him a promotion to Major and the awarding him a medal for the fictitious saving of Cathcart’s life; the only requirement being that Yossarian agrees to “like” the Colonels and praise them when he gets home.
Catch-22 (1970)
Directed by: Mike Nichols
Starring: Alan Arkin, Bob Balaban, Richard Benjamin, Jon Voight, Charles Grodin, Martin Sheen, Bob Newhart, Art Garfunkel, Austin Pendleton, Paula Prentiss, Anthony Perkins
Screenplay by: Buck Henry
Production Design by: Richard Sylbert
Cinematography by: David Watkin
Film Editing by: Sam O’Steen
Costume Design by: Ernest Adler
Set Decoration by: Ray Moyer
Art Direction by: Harold Michelson, Maurice Zuberano
Music by: Richard Strauss
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: June 21, 1970
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