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| Stars fronting Mike Nichols' Catch-22 |
We follow the lives of a squadron of American pilots during WWII on a Mediterranean island, where they serve under a colonel, who keeps upping the number of missions they have to fly before they are let off.
The cast of this adaptation of Joseph Heller's 1961 novel of the same name is remarkable: A very young Martin Sheen (Apocalypse Now (1979)), Jon Voight (Deliverance (1972)), Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine (2006)), - who is outstanding as the distraught lead, Captain Yossarian, who seems the most clear-sighted in the bunch, - along with Anthony Perkins (Psycho (1960)), - also great as the peculiar chaplain, - Martin Balsam (Psycho) and Orson Welles (Citizen Kane (1941)) as the general, of course.
Catch-22 is a political anti-war satire about the craziness and futility of war which has more in common with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) than with Twelve O'Clock High (1949), another legendary war movie about pilots and flying. The context of it, - the 20th century's devastating war-focus and overwhelming destruction, - is key to understanding and appreciating it. It features more or less subtle streaks of absurd comedy, while also being deadly serious and very bold, - and some looking for a more traditional war movie may be disappointed, if they happen to choose Catch-22. It has several outstanding sequences that are staged incredibly; the narrative runs a challenging course, which keeps every involved audience member on his/her feet; Catch-22 is unique and powerful and hits an aerial filmmaking standard that possibly hadn't been charted ever since Howard Hawks' classic masterpiece Only Angels Have Wings (1939).
It is directed by great director Mike Nichols (Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? (1966)), who has just passed away after a long life and a truly illustrious career. He adorned this film with some extremely long shots that are quite unique. Catch-22 is a disturbing film that stirs afterthoughts about the nature of war and the human mind.
Related reviews:
Mike Nichols: Angels in America (2003, TV-miniseries) or, Dying in the 80's, of AIDS, at L-E-N-G-T-H
Biloxi Blues (1988) or, '45 Army Camp Confidential
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| Martin Sheen in Mike Nichols' Catch-22 |
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| Martin Balsam in Mike Nichols' Catch-22 |
Watch the original trailer for the film here
Cost: 18 mil. $
Box office: 24.9 mil. $ (US only)
= Big flop, though some uncertainty
[1970 also saw the release of Robert Altman's anti-war farce MASH, which was much more successful in America, (though Catch-22 is a better film), and perhaps American audiences didn't have the appetite for two similarly disillusioned visions of men and war in the same year, while the Vietnam war was tiring the nation's patience outside movie-theaters, in reality.]
What do you think of Catch-22?
What are Mike Nichols' three greatest films in your opinion?
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