Catch-22 is a 1970 war film adapted from the book of the same name by Joseph Heller. Considered a black comedy revolving around the "lunatic characters" of Heller's satirical novel,[1] the film was mired in production problems (including a death of a crewmember) and artistic issues that led to its commercial failure.[2]
Although a talented production team – which included director Mike Nichols and screenwriter Buck Henry (who also acted in the film) – worked on the film for two years, the complex task of recreating a World War II bomber base and translating an anti-war satire proved daunting.[2] Besides Henry, the cast included Alan Arkin, Martin Balsam, Richard Benjamin, Norman Fell, Art Garfunkel, Jack Gilford, Bob Newhart, Anthony Perkins, Paula Prentiss, Martin Sheen, Jon Voight and Orson Welles.[3]
Plot
Captain Yossarian (Alan Arkin), a fictional U.S. Army Air Forces B-25 bombardier is stationed on the Mediterranean island of Pianosa during World War II. Along with other members of his squadron, Yossarian is committed to flying dangerous missions and after watching his friends die, he seeks a means of escape. Futily appealing to his commanding officer, Colonel Cathcart (Martin Balsam), he finds that even a mental breakdown is no release when "Doc" Daneeka (Jack Gilford) invokes the "Catch-22" that the US Army employs. As explained, an airman "would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he'd have to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't, he was sane and had to."
Trapped by the convoluted logic of the Catch-22, Yossarian watches as individuals in the squadron resort to other means to cope; Lt. Milo Minderbinder (Jon Voight) concocts elaborate black market schemes while crazed Captain "Aarfy Aardvark" (Charles Grodin) even commits murder. Following an attempt on his life, Yossarian flees the hospital and sets out in a raft, paddling to Sweden, a refuge for one of his other squadron mates who successfully escaped the madness.
Production
Adaptation
The adaptation to film substantially changed the book's plot. Several story arcs are left out, and many characters in the movie speak the dialogue and experience the events of other characters in the book.[4] Despite the changes in the screenplay, Heller approved of the film, according to a commentary by Nichols and Steven Soderbergh included on a DVD release.[5] According to Nichols, Heller was particularly impressed with a few scenes and bits of dialogue Henry created for the film, and said he wished he could have included them in the novel.[6]
The pacing of Catch-22 is frenetic, its tenor intellectual, and its tone largely absurdist,[3] interspersed with brief moments of gritty, almost horrific, realism. The anti-war film does not follow a normal chronological progression. Rather, it is told as a series of flashbacks and dream sequences from the point of view of the central character.[4][7]
Production "bloopers" include during the scene where Major accepts his rank as Major, the portrait in his office inexplicably changes from President Roosevelt, to Prime Minister Churchill, and again to Premier Stalin. In several scenes, Major Major refers to Towser as a Master Sergeant, yet his rank in the credits is First Sergeant.
Aircraft
Paramount assigned a $17 million budget to the production and planned to film the key flying scenes for six weeks, but the aerial sequences required six months to shoot resulting in the bombers flying a total of about 1,500 hours.[2] They appear on screen for approximately 10 minutes.[8]
Catch-22 has become renowned for its role in saving the B-25 Mitchell aircraft type from a possible extinction.[9] The film's budget could only accommodate 17 flyable B-25 Mitchells, and an additional non-flyable hulk was acquired in Mexico, made barely ferry-able and flown with landing gear down to the Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico filming location.[5] The aircraft was burned and destroyed as part of the landing crash scene. The wreck was then buried in the ground next to the runway, where it remains to this day.[10]
For the film, mock upper turrets were installed, and to represent different models, several aircraft had the turrets installed behind the wings representing early (B-25C/D type) aircraft.[8] Initially, the camera ships also had the mock turrets installed, but problems with buffeting necessitated their removal.[11]
Many of the "Tallman Air Force" went on to have a career in films and television, before being sold off as surplus.[12] Fifteen of the 18 bombers used in the film still remain intact, including one on display at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum.[13]
Death on the set
When Second Unit Director John Jordan refused to wear a harness during a bomber scene, he fell out of the open tail turret and fell to his death.[14]
Cast
As appearing in screen credits (main roles identified):[15]
Reception
It was not regarded as a great success with either the public or critics, earning less money and acclaim than MASH, another war-themed black comedy from the same year.[2] "Paramount spent a great deal of money on Catch-22, but it wound up getting trumped by another 1970 antiwar farce: Robert Altman's MASH."[16] Film historians and reviewers Jack Harwick and Ed Schnepf characterized it as deeply flawed, noting that Henry's screenplay was disjointed and that the only redeeming features were the limited aerial sequences.[17] Despite the film's failure, it was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography and retained a cult following.
References
- Notes
- ^ Dolan 1985, p. 97.
- ^ a b c d Orriss 1984, p. 189.
- ^ a b McCarthy, Todd. "Catch-22 (Review)." Variety, Volume 383, Issue 5, p. 18, June 18, 2001.
- ^ a b Canby, Vincent. "Catch-22 (1970) Movie Review." New York Times, June 25, 1970.
- ^ a b Tallman 2008, p. 15 (Editor's Note).
- ^ Nichols and Soderbergh 2001
- ^ Evans 200, p. 38.
- ^ a b Farmer 1972, p. 59. Note: Nearly all the aerial footage was unused due to a directorial conflict between Nichols and Tallman, the head of the Air Operations and Aerial Unit.
- ^ Farmer 1972, pp. 20–21.
- ^ Thompson 1980, p. 75.
- ^ Farmer 1972, p. 23.
- ^ Farmer 1972, pp. 58–59.
- ^ "National Air and Space Museum Collections Database." Smithsonian Institution, National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved: April 16, 2008.
- ^ Conant, Richard. "The 70's movies Rewind.". 70s.fast-rewind.com. Retrieved: June 27, 2009.
- ^ Catch-22 (1970) Full credits
- ^ Bozzola, Lucia. "Catch-22 (overview)." The New York Times. Retrieved on April 15, 2008.
- ^ Harwick and Schnepf 1989, p. 62.
- Bibliography
- Dolan Edward F. Jr. Hollywood Goes to War. London: Bison Books, 1985. ISBN 0-86124-229-7.
- Evans, Alun. Brassey's Guide to War Films. Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books, 2000. ISBN 1-57488-263-5.
- Farmer, James H. "The Catch-22 Air Force." Air Classics, Volume 8, No. 14, December 1972.
- Harwick, Jack and Ed Schnepf. "A Viewer's Guide to Aviation Movies". The Making of the Great Aviation Films, General Aviation Series, Volume 2, 1989.
- Nichols, Mike and Steven Soderbergh. "Commentary." Catch-22 DVD (Special Features). Los Angeles: Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment, 2001.
- Orriss, Bruce. When Hollywood Ruled the Skies: The Aviation Film Classics of World War II. Hawthorne, California: Aero Associates Inc., 1984. ISBN 0-9613088-0-X.
- Tallman, Frank. "The Making of Catch-22." Warbirds International, Vol. 27, no. 4, May/June 2008.
- Thompson, Scott A. "Hollywood Mitchells." Air Classics, Vol. 16, No. 9, September 1980.
External links
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