Catch-22 (1970)

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writers:

Joseph Heller (novel)
Buck Henry (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 June 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Plot:

A man is trying desperately to be certified insane during World War II, so he can stop flying missions.

Plot Keywords:

Bombadier | Brigadier General | Army Air Force | Military Hospital | Female Frontal Nudity

Awards:

Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Alan Arkin	...	Capt. John Yossarian
Martin Balsam	...	Col. Cathcart
Richard Benjamin	...	Maj. Danby
Art Garfunkel	...	Capt. Nately (as Arthur Garfunkel)
Jack Gilford	...	Dr. 'Doc' Daneeka
Buck Henry	...	Lt. Col. Korn
Bob Newhart	...	Maj. Major Major Major
Anthony Perkins	...	Chaplain Capt. A.T. Tappman
Paula Prentiss	...	Nurse Duckett
Martin Sheen	...	1st Lt. Dobbs
Jon Voight	...	1st Lt. Milo Minderbinder
Orson Welles	...	Brig. Gen. Dreedle
Seth Allen	...	Hungry Joe
Bob Balaban	...	Capt. Orr
Susanne Benton	...	Dreedle's WAC

Also Known As:

A 22-es csapdája (Hungary) [hu]
Ardil 22 (Brazil) [pt]
Artigo 22 (Portugal) [pt]
Barisa giden yol (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Catch 22 (Greece) [el]
Catch 22 (France) [fr]
Catch 22 - Der böse Trick (West Germany) (TV title) [de]
Catch-22 - Der böse Trick (Austria) [de]
Comma 22 (Italy) [it]
Der böse Trick (West Germany) [de]
Hlava 22 (Czechoslovakia) [cs]
Kvaka 22 (Serbia) [sr]
Me sotasankarit (Finland) [fi]
Moment 22 (Sweden) [sv]
Paragraf 22 (Poland) [pl]
Punkt 22 (Denmark) [da]
Trampa 22 (Spain) [es]

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Hungary:14 | Sweden:15 | Netherlands:AL (2003) (DVD) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1971) | Portugal:(Banned) (1970-1974) | UK:15 (video rating) | USA:R | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Since the filming of Catch-22 (1970) took longer than planned, Art Garfunkel wasn't able to make it back to New York in time to start writing and recording the Simon & Garfunkel album "Bridge Over Troubled Water". Angered by the delay, Paul Simon wrote the track "The Only Living Boy in New York" about the incident. The lyrics "Tom, get your plane right on time/I know your part'll go fine/Fly down to Mexico" were a thinly veiled attack aimed at Garfunkel (who was "Tom" of Simon & Garfunkel's earlier incarnation, Tom & Jerry) leaving Simon alone in New York to write the bulk of the album himself.

Goofs:

Continuity: When 1st Lt. Milo Minderbinder explains to Cathcart his plans to trade blankets to the Italians for fresh eggs, he shows Cathcart an egg. As the two walk along the landing strip, the egg disappears from Milo's hand.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lt. Col. Korn, XO: [speaking to Yossarian] All you have to do is be our pal.
Colonel Cathcart: Say nice things about us.
Lt. Col. Korn, XO: Tell the folks at home what a good job we're doing. Take our offer Yossarian.
Colonel Cathcart: Either that or a court-martial for desertion.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Dynasty: Catch 22 (#9.22)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Stars and Stripes Forever

underrated but important film

I don't think even Orson Welles could match the brilliance of Heller's novel, but Mike Nichols made a wonderful film with mostly a top-notch cast. Alan Arkin is perfect as Yossarian. He is justified paranoia incarnate! Anthony Perkins embodies Chaplain Tappman as no would could and Jon Voight oozes the shallow charm of Minderbinder. The opening is incredible from the cinematography by David Watkins to the sound quality. In a book of this scope, you simply cannot include all of the incredible characters, but M.A.S.H. came out earlier in the year and stole the thunder from all anti-war films, comedy or not.

This film didn't receive a single Oscar nomination, even for acting, in a tough competitive year, but come on! This is a 9 out of 10.