Who Is The Protagonist In Dr Strangelove

Dr. Strangelove is a complex film. Unlike most films, the audience is not meant to perceive a clear protagonist and antagonist. Instead, there is sane versus delusional, ethical versus morally corrupt, and man versus machine, or in this case, the bomb. Group Captain Lionel Mandrake is the closest thing that Dr. Strangelove has to a traditional protagonist; he’s sane, ethical, and values life over the destruction that would be caused by the bomb. Overall, Mandrake is not an especially deep character. He’s honest, polite, and loyal, although he seems willing to disobey orders if he knows it will serve the greater good. There is very little shared about his past; all that the audience is only aware that he is an RAF exchange officer, second in