Catch-22 (1970)

Catch-22 (1970) is based on the Joseph Heller novel that forever defined the absurdity of not only war, but everything. It became a bestseller and a part of our vernacular. It also, of course, became a movie. The story of a man trying desperately to be certified insane during World War II so he can stop flying missions would seem an easy task to adapt from the page to the screen, but some much of the voice and the myriad plot lines of his fellow airmen makes the movie even too much for the talents of director Mike Nichols and screenwriter Buck Henry. But they had to try, and we’re glad they did, for without this movie we might never have seen a full-frontal nude scene from Paula Prentiss. This was a big deal at the time in a mainstream movie, so much so that the scene (in a relatively G-rated version) made it into the parody in Mad magazine that year.