- published: 30 Apr 2013
- views: 27551
Catch-22 is a 1970 satirical 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 anti-war novel, it was the work of a talented production team which included director Mike Nichols and screenwriter Buck Henry (who also acted in the film). They worked on the film for two years, and accomplished the tasks of recreating a World War II bomber base and converting Heller's complex novel to the more streamlined medium of a feature film.
Along with Henry, the cast included Alan Arkin, Bob Balaban, Martin Balsam, Richard Benjamin, Italian actress Olimpia Carlisi, French comedian Marcel Dalio, Art Garfunkel, Jack Gilford, Bob Newhart, Anthony Perkins, Paula Prentiss, Martin Sheen, Jon Voight and Orson Welles. Balaban and Garfunkel made acting debuts.
Captain Yossarian (Alan Arkin), a 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. Futilely appealing to his commanding officer, Colonel Cathcart (Martin Balsam), who keeps increasing the number of missions required to be sent home before anyone can reach it, Yossarian finds that even a mental breakdown is no release when Doctor 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."
I read you like an autograph...you love the spotlight
You shoot me like a photograph...you get me uptight
You're gunnin' for me every day...go straight for the heart
Say you want me--you push me away...say it tears you apart
You're on the inside...I'm on the outside
Don't matter whose side...you take the other side
I can see you walkin' down the aisle...you're thinkin' long-range
I've seen you work the miracle mile for loose change
You can have it anyway you want...your fancy dinners in the restaurants
Even though they leave you hungry inside, it's a free ride
You show your bad side...it's so undignified
Get off your back-side...you're talkin' suicide
Go and be what you wanna be
Sink your time and your hooks in me
You can hold me down--take me 'round and 'round and 'round
You catch me when I'm 'bout to fall...but you leave me there
What really matters doesn't matter at all...you don't care
It's hard to figure in your life...it's a roundabout
You're makin' it so hard to give in...but you won't let me out
You take the right side...I'm on the wrong side