Watch The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming
- Approved
- 1966
- 2 hr 6 min
-
7.0 (10,392)
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming is a 1966 comedy directed by Norman Jewison and starring Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, and Alan Arkin. Set during the height of the Cold War, the movie follows the misadventures of a Russian submarine crew that accidentally runs aground on a New England island while trying to spy on the United States.
The film opens with a montage of Cold War era news footage and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that sets the tone for the rest of the movie. We are then introduced to the crew of the Soviet submarine, led by Lieutenant Rozanov (Alan Arkin) and including several comedic character actors such as John Phillip Law and Teno Pollick.
After running aground, the Russians quickly realize that they cannot free their submarine without attracting the attention of the American military. They decide to send a small group of sailors, disguised as tourists, into the nearby town of Gloucester to find a way to free the submarine without incident. The group is led by Rozanov, who speaks fluent English and is tasked with communicating with the locals.
The townspeople, led by a local lawyer named Walt Whittaker (Carl Reiner), quickly become suspicious of the "tourists" and assume that they are part of a Russian invasion force. Hilarity ensues as the Russians try to blend in with the locals and find a way to free their submarine, while the townspeople try to figure out how to deal with the "invasion".
One of the highlights of the movie is the performance of Alan Arkin as Lieutenant Rozanov. Arkin plays the role with a perfect mix of humor and drama, and his scenes with Eva Marie Saint, who plays a local schoolteacher, are particularly charming. Carl Reiner is also excellent as Walt Whittaker, and his interactions with his wife and daughter provide some of the movie's best comedic moments.
While The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming is primarily a comedy, it also explores some serious themes. The film underscores the dangers of the Cold War, and the potential for misunderstandings between different cultures. The movie also touches on the idea of patriotism, as both the Russians and the Americans are shown to be fiercely protective of their countries and suspicious of outsiders.
The film's climax is a tense and exciting sequence in which the Russians attempt to free their submarine before the American military arrives. The scene is expertly directed by Norman Jewison, and features some impressive special effects for its time.
Overall, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming is a well-crafted and enjoyable comedy that also manages to be thought-provoking at times. The performances are top-notch, and the script is both witty and smart. The movie is an excellent example of how comedy can be used to explore serious themes, and remains a beloved classic of the genre to this day.
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming is a 1966 comedy with a runtime of 2 hours and 6 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.0 and a MetaScore of 69.