[First line, voiceover] C.R. MacNamara: On Sunday, August 13th, 1961, the eyes of America were on the nation's capital, where Roger Maris was hitting home runs #44 and 45 against the Senators. On that same day, without any warning, the East German Communists sealed off the border between East and West Berlin. I only mention this to show the kind of people we're dealing with - REAL SHIFTY!"
"Otto: I will not have my son grow up to be a capitalist. Scarlet: When he's 18 he can make his mind up whether he wants to be a capitalist or a rich communist."
"Schlemmer recognizes the reporter Untermeyer (played by Til Kiwe)] Schlemmer: Herr Oberleutnant! C.R. MacNamara: You two know each other? Schlemmer: He was my commanding officer. C.R. MacNamara: In the subway? Schlemmer: No, after that, when I was drafted. C.R. MacNamara: Aha! Gestapo! Schlemmer: No, no, SS.
C.R. MacNamara: Ten minutes early! That's a hell of a way to run an airline! Planes are supposed to be late, not early!
Peripetchikoff: We have emergency meeting with Swiss Trade Delegation. They send us twenty car-loads of cheese. Totally unacceptable... full of holes.
(cough)
It's a farce! You could read the dialogue of any Marx Brothers movie, Airplane knock-off, or other farce and it would not read well either. It's the delivery, pacing, and references that make it funny. Without the background to understand the constant references to the times it may not be funny, kind of like reading a Shakespeare or Aristophanes comedy today, but for the rest of us who get it, it's great.