What is the significance of the Leper Colony?
What is the significance of the Leper Colony?
shareGately deserted his post as acting group commander when Davenport was relieved. Gately was executive officer (2nd in command), a West Pointer, and had more flying experience in B-17s ("more 4-engine time") than any other pilot in the group. To punish him for this transgression (and for not being of much help to Davenport) Savage humiliated him by removing him from his command position and making him simply an airplane commander (normally a captain or lieutenant's job). He ordered him to name the plane The Leper Colony in order to keep him (and the group) aware of his failure by having adssigned to him all the deadbeats in the group (i.e. "lepers"). In turn, those who screwed up were punished by being assigned to the Leper Colony. Gately turned it around by making the Leper Colony a "factory" for skilled airmen--and ultimately won back his position as air exec. BTW, the tactic while unorthodox (and risking Savage his own job at the hands of the Air Inspector), was effective, because Gately at the start of the movie was everything Savage said he was.
shareI just recently realized that Stanley Kubrick paid homage to Twelve O' Clock High in his black Cold War comedy Dr. Strangelove : Or How I Learned How To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. The B-52 flown by Major "King" Kong (Slim Pickens, in the role he will be most remembered for) that fails to recall and flies on to Russia for weapons release is - ta-dahhh! - the "Leper Colony"!
Mark*
"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin
There's even more!! If you look very closely at the scenes when the B-52 is flying low-level over the Soviet wasteland you can clearly see that the shadow it is casting on the white ground below is not that of a B-52 , but it is a B-17!
Look for the tall tail. No question about it.
The camera ship that filmed the arctic scenes for "Dr. Strangelove - Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb" was French Institut Geographique National B-17G-100-VE, 44-85643, registered F-BEEA, which, ironically enough, would be written off during a take-off accident in July 1989 at RAF Binbrook during the filming of ANOTHER B-17 movie, the "Memphis Belle"! It has been widely reported, starting with aviation writer Martin Caiden's 1965 book "Everything But The Flak", that former VB-17G-85-DL, 44-83563, registered N9563Z, used in making "The War Lover" (Columbia Pictures, 1961) was the camera plane for "Dr. Strangelove", but a documentary about the making of Kubrick's cold war comedy included on the DVD release shows footage of the IGN Fortress with the true registration clearly visible.
Mark*
"If you don't like the way I drive, stay off the sidewalk!"
My college professor had us watch this video for our Strategic Management class for us to observe different readiness levels...anyways we did some discussion in class about the Leper Colony. Our professor said to the contrary of "buckboard" that Savage was not putting Gately to shame, Savage was actually holding him in high regard. Savage thought so highly of Gately's abilities that he had confidence that Gately could make great men out of these misfits. Gately obviously did not see it that way at first, but he eventually figures out Savage's initial intentions.
shareSavage thought highly of Gately's abilities ?
Your professor is demented. When Gately entered the room under arrest Savage ignored his salute, not returning it. That is a gesture of contempt from one soldier to another.
"You're a coward, you're yellow, you're a deadbeat, you're a traitor to yourself and the uniform you wear."
This is high regard ? How is telling a career West Point man from a military family that he is a disgrace to the American armed forces and a disgrace to his family name high regard ? How could Savage possibly have 'high regard' for someone who had only flown three missions ?
"Every navigator who can't find the head, every bombardier who can't hit the plate with his fork, every malingerer, every screwup, every chronic head cold sufferer. You get him because you deserve him."
This is high regard ?
Concur with Tarasicodissa.
Now, perhaps your prof felt that Savage believed that Gately had more in him, that the Leper Colony would give Gately the oppty to reach down and find himself (or continue to fail), but Savage certainly did not give Gately The Leper Colony because he thought highly of Gately.
It can make sense that Savage did see the potential in Gately, because of his training and family background, and chose the way to bring him up to his capabilities ( and that of the squadron) was to berate and humiliate him, to make him respond. The moment Savage came into the base he had both barrels blazing; some of the men he had a softer treatment, but knew he had to make an example of someone - Gately was it. He showed no sympathy for the suicide of Zinneman, the navigator who screwed up the last mission. If he really thought so little of Gately, he could have dismissed him away from the unit, but saw how to use him to bring the men around.
shareWhat you say makes sense.
But also consider that experienced officers were few and far between. Gately's replacement would be some greenhorn. Gately had the background and training and experience to be a first rate officer but he was just coasting. When staff officers must be put in the line that can only mean a high attrition/burnout rate for line officers such that there are few veterans.
In the military there is a concept called the Colonel, captain, corporal routine. It goes like this, a colonel comes to inspect a unit...he rips the captain up on side and down the other over relatively minor things...he sweats blood...meanwhile, he sits down and has coffee with the corporal in the canteen. Middle managers whether in the military or civilian life will feel the steel if they hope to crawl up the ropes of the organization.
"...it's all part of life's rich pageant
Hear hear! Well-said!
Mark*
"Either he's dead, or my watch has stopped." - Groucho Marx
Actually, a prisoner under arrest is not entitled to give or receive salutes. On all the other points, I fully agree.
shareNo one under arrest or confined in the stockade is to salute nor have a salute returned. Savage's "refusal" to return Gately's salute is thus not contempt but in accordance with standard US military protocol. As for the rest, there was a war on, don't forget and that changes a lot of things.
Wayne A. Silkett, Lieutenant Colonel, US Army (ret.)
Think about it...Gately was a light colonel...pissed off over Davenport's dismisal...Savage came to the base with hardly anyone in control...most of them boozed up. By placing Gately as pilot in command of a B-17 and being assinged every deadbeat in the squadron, Gately could see that not only his future was in serious jeopardy, but his life was on the line. The only way out for him was up...and he went that way. No small wonder that this movie is still used today to generate understanding of men and motives. The "professor's" view is typical...always looking for a nice, positive answer to things. Savage knew what he had to do...kick ass and take names.
"...it's all part of life's rich pageant
He kept him (that is telling in itself), used him and made a first rate officer out of him and this shock treatment was how he did it. it was only when Gately's entire sense of self was at stake that he could change. It is one of the most famous 'chewing out' scenes in movie history and a favorite of those who have been in the military and understand completely what is going on which far more than you do.
shareA professor of mine a couple of years ago had us watch this movie for an Organizational Change class. I kind of missed the point though... can someone please help me?
I guess the main change is that the group is responsible toward the need and is more accountable?
I believe your professor's interpretation might have been mis-directed. Clearly Savage has the highest regard for the rank of Colonel, but nothing but contempt for Gately's execution of his duties at the rank. Savage expects anyone at the pay rate to be worthy of the duty.
I enjoy the irony of Peck's character's name - Savage - as none but the most sophisticated of men would be able to simultaneously perform admirably as CO of a unit of underperformers and still become so emotionally involved that his name becomes a mis-nomer by the end of the film. Brilliant.
Excellent answer! This movie used to be shown at the US Navy's Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) Schhols in order to show how senior officers can't become personally involved in their subordinates' lives during wartime....very sobering but a GREAT movie and again, an excellent answer! JMB
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