American Carl Reiner (left) has had enough of Russian Alan Arkin. Image: Alamy
Once upon a time, Hollywood produced a movie about Russians accidentally invading America.
The movie, The Russians are Coming the Russians are Coming (1966), is a political satire made during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States.
It was a gutsy film, released five years after the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion, and only four years after the Cuban Missile Crisis. In a world where Russians and Americans were Sworn Enemies, a film poking fun at the situation was a bit daring.
In the movie, the Big Trouble starts on a nice Sunday morning when a submarine full of curious Russians runs aground off the coast of a New England island.
The Russians need to dislodge their submarine before they’re discovered, but they’ll need a towboat. Surely one will be docked somewhere on the island.
However! There may be an American military base lurking about, which would mean certain arrest and imprisonment. What to do?
Alas, because needs must, they venture ashore, prepared to attack if forced.
As for the Islanders, minding their business on this bright Sunday morning, news of Russians on their island is met with skepticism, then panic, then anger. After all, the Russians have already attempted to hold one family hostage, and have tied up the postmistress and left her in a very awkward situation.
Meanwhile, a local villager, known for his love of the Drink, embarks on a wild cross-island ride, shouting a warning: “The Russians are coming the Russians are coming!” – an homage, of course, to Paul Revere’s famous ride.
It’s satire and screwball comedy, but director Norman Jewison never lets us forget this situation could ignite World War III at any moment.
Russians bullying the postmistress. Image: IMDb
The Russians are Coming the Russians are Coming is, surprisingly, a hope-filled and optimistic movie. Despite the dangerous assumptions each side makes about the other – and the ensuing ramifications – it assures you This Would Never Happen.
You see, near the end of the movie, a dire circumstance arises that unites the Russians and the Americans, and both sides Work Together to resolve it. Everyone becomes friends!
It’s an unlikely development in an unlikely plot, but filmmakers strive to present each side fairly. We sympathize with the islanders’ fears about the invaders, and we understand the Russians’ desire to dislodge their submarine ASAP.
Yet, this same quality makes the film feel dated. When it was released in the mid 1960s, critics and movie-goers appreciated its satirical qualities, and it was a Box Office success. It was good to laugh at a tense global situation.
Which got us thinking: Could such a film be made Nowadays?
Paul Ford is ready for a Russian Invasion. Image: tv.apple.com
The script, loosely based on the 1961 novel The Off-Islanders, by Nathaniel Benchley (of the literary Benchleys*), received an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.
It also received Oscar nods for Best Picture, Best Editing, and Best Actor for Alan Arkin in his first big movie role.
(As an aside, the Russian spoken in this film was unusual for the mid-1960s. According to Wikipedia, a good Russian accent was hard to come by in Hollywood in those days.)
It was one of the few films to portray Russians in a non-villainous way, although they’re still rather menacing. Director Jewison said he and the film were invited to Moscow for a screening with the Soviet Filmmakers Union, and it was well received. “The reaction was incredible,” Jewison told The Hollywood Reporter.1
What say you? Given current geopolitics, do you think a movie like The Russians are Coming the Russians are Coming be made today?
The Russians are Coming the Russians are Coming starring Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Alan Arkin. Directed by Norman Jewison. Written by William Rose & Nathaniel Benchley. United Artists, 1966, Technicolor, 126 mins.
Great review. I’ve never seen this film so will definitely search it out. Steve Coogan is currently starring in a London stage adaptation of Dr Strangelove, so there’s definitely a market for Cold War comedy, if done right.
Exactly! Cold War comedy must be done right, like you said. Have you seen Steve Coogan in Dr Strangelove? I hope you have & hope it was utterly fantastic.
Thanks for the review, it is great to pull this movie out of mothballs where it belongs. In a way it only makes sense if someone studied the cold war or was alive then, but the more I look at it, there are parallels to many situations in the world at various times.
I certainly heard of this film, but never watched it. I do speak Russian, but have not lived there for more than a decade. I wonder if I should give it a go. I think I will find all the puns just hilarious. On a similar topic, I sometimes wonder where do we draw our lines about propaganda films. If a soviet solder is portrayed positively in some soviet film, it is a propaganda films in the eyes of the west, and yet when British film does so with British soldiers, it is a normal, good film (because they were not under the supposed dictatorship?). Yes, I am thinking about some by Michael Powell, for example.
I liked it as a kid, but I found it dated as an adult. It does have a great cast, so I have mixed feelings about it. Anyhow, I don’t think you could make the movie today. Most people, especially young people that didn’t grow up during the Cold War, don’t see Russia as the “Evil Empire,” thus the running joke about the “Russkies” invading U.S.A. wouldn’t work with modern audiences. But it could work with a Chinese or Iranian submarine. Just my opinion.
Silver Screenings 
Probably someone should make a movie like that or something to lighten the mood. I’ve seen that movie and found it hilarious.
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I think you’re right. A movie like this would lighten the mood. We certainly need it.
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Hi. On a scale of 1 to 10, what rating would you give it?
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I’d give it an 8.5. It is a bit silly, but it’s also clever.
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Great review. I’ve never seen this film so will definitely search it out. Steve Coogan is currently starring in a London stage adaptation of Dr Strangelove, so there’s definitely a market for Cold War comedy, if done right.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly! Cold War comedy must be done right, like you said. Have you seen Steve Coogan in Dr Strangelove? I hope you have & hope it was utterly fantastic.
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Oh yes, saw it yesterday. It’s a very funny stage adaptation.
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I think it would be fun to make a modern version. Have you ever seen Canadian Bacon? I feel like we’re living in a remake of that right now!
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YES!! Canadian Bacon!! You’re right!
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I forgot about that movie! Good call, I want to see that again soon
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John Candy is really great in this movie. And I love Alan Alda as the US president.
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Thanks for the review, it is great to pull this movie out of mothballs where it belongs. In a way it only makes sense if someone studied the cold war or was alive then, but the more I look at it, there are parallels to many situations in the world at various times.
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You said it. This film is timeless in a way, because nations are always picking fights with other nations.
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I certainly heard of this film, but never watched it. I do speak Russian, but have not lived there for more than a decade. I wonder if I should give it a go. I think I will find all the puns just hilarious. On a similar topic, I sometimes wonder where do we draw our lines about propaganda films. If a soviet solder is portrayed positively in some soviet film, it is a propaganda films in the eyes of the west, and yet when British film does so with British soldiers, it is a normal, good film (because they were not under the supposed dictatorship?). Yes, I am thinking about some by Michael Powell, for example.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wonder about that, too, when & how we categorize films as propaganda.
I hope you’re able to see this film. I’d be curious to know what you think.
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I liked it as a kid, but I found it dated as an adult. It does have a great cast, so I have mixed feelings about it. Anyhow, I don’t think you could make the movie today. Most people, especially young people that didn’t grow up during the Cold War, don’t see Russia as the “Evil Empire,” thus the running joke about the “Russkies” invading U.S.A. wouldn’t work with modern audiences. But it could work with a Chinese or Iranian submarine. Just my opinion.
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That’s a good point about making the submarine Chinese or Iranian. Would be interesting to see how it could go over with audiences.
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I remember watching this movie as a kid, and I so enjoyed your take on it. Time for a rewatch.
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It’ll be interesting to see your take on it now, as an adult.
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