The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! (1966)
"The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming" (original title)

Without hostile intent, a Soviet sub runs aground off New England. Men are sent for a boat, but many villagers go into a tizzy, risking bloodshed.

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

Nathaniel Benchley (novel), William Rose (screenplay)

Stars:

Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Alan Arkin

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Carl Reiner	...	Walt Whittaker
Eva Marie Saint	...	Elspeth Whittaker
Alan Arkin	...	Lt. Rozanov
Brian Keith	...	Police Chief Link Mattocks
Jonathan Winters	...	Norman Jones
Paul Ford	...	Fendall Hawkins
Theodore Bikel	...	The Russian captain
Tessie O'Shea	...	Alice Foss (telephone operator)
John Phillip Law	...	Alexei Kolchin
Ben Blue	...	Luther Grilk
Andrea Dromm	...	Alison Palmer
Sheldon Collins	...	Pete Whittaker (as Sheldon Golomb)
Guy Raymond	...	Lester Tilly
Cliff Norton	...	Charlie Hinkson
Richard Schaal	...	Oscar Maxwell

Storyline

When a Soviet submarine captain comes up for a look at America (off the coast of a small island in Massachusetts) he runs aground. He sends his two English speaking crewmen to procure a boat with enough power to pull them off. The 2 English speakers, along with 7 other Russian sailors, don't exactly blend in and the town is convinced that they are being invaded.

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Plot Keywords:

boat | island | new england | sailor | submarine | 

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Taglines:

It's A Plot!... to make the world die laughing!!

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Genres:

Comedy | War

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

25 May 1966 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!

Filming Locations:

Bodega Bay, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mirisch Corporation, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Unable to borrow a real submarine from the US Navy, and unable to bring a Soviet submarine to the United States, the art department built the Russian sub. It is powered by four motors underneath the hull, each driving a section of the "sub", and if you watch carefully, you can see it flexing where the four sections are joined.

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Goofs

Established etiquette for displaying the United States flag when hung vertically is to have the blue union on the uppermost left - during the credits at the end of the movie the flag appears with the union on the upper right.

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Quotes

[first lines]
[Rozanov arrives on the bridge of the Russian submarine after learing from the chart man how close they are to the USA coast]
Lieutenant Rozanov: [in Russian; subtitled] What is it Captain? What are you doing?
[to a chart man]
Lieutenant Rozanov: Show me our position.
[the chart man shows Rozanov how close they are to an island]
Lieutenant Rozanov: [in Russian] What? WHAT? Tovarich Captain...
The Russian Captain: [in Russian] Take it easy.
Lieutenant Rozanov: [in Russian] Permit me, Captain. Look at our position.
The Russian Captain: [in Russian] I don't need your advice.
[...]

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Crazy Credits

In the title, the letters R and N in RUSSIANS are reversed to resemble Russian letters (which would literally translate to Ya and I), and the G in COMING is a hammer and sickle.

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Connections

Version of Russkies (1987)

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Soundtracks

"The Shining Sea"
(uncredited)
Written by Johnny Mandel & Peggy Lee
Performed by Irene Kral

User Reviews

Funny and Reassuring

It's fair to say Norman Jewison has never directed a bad film. Fiddler on the Roof, Jesus Christ Superstar and Other People's Money are excellent. This film is an antidote to all other Cold War films which are either about spies or impending nuclear holocaust. The Russian submarine beaches on the New England coast by accident and the crew are very anxious about the blunder they have made. I think there's a chance this film was partly inspired by 49th Parallel. At the beginning, it's obvious that they do not wish to use their guns in anger. John Phillip Law does well as Alexei; there's a lot more to him than the angel in Barbarella. He is quite afraid of what may happen and is genuinely distraught after he pointed his gun at the wee lass because she made a noise that made him panic. The Americans are not portrayed favourably for the most part. They are shown as jingoistic and they behave in a manner reminiscent of the people who thought Orson Welles' War of the Worlds broadcast was a news report on an actual Martian invasion. Americans, young and old, from Whittaker's 9 year old son to the elderly guys in the American Legion beanies are shown as spoiling for a fight. This might be meant to represent American cold war paranoia which had its dark side in blacklisting by the House Un-American Activities Committee and Ronald Reagan's keenness to use military action in the 1980s. The Russians are shown as well meaning and decent, genuinely afraid of what might happen to them. The scene between Alexei and Alison on the beach is very good and what they say to each other (to be found in the memorable quotes section) makes perfect sense. Alan Arkin is also very good as Lieutenant Rozanov. Whitakker is very concerned when he thinks he's killed him after impulsively firing a gun at the car he's driving. It's good the way mutual distrust turns into friendship. Leaving the serious analysis aside, there are some very funny moments like when Arkin & co tie the elderly lady up and place her on top of the cupboard and her husband doesn't notice she's there. It's a good scene at the end when the townspeople escort the submarine out the harbour in their boats and with them being there the McDonnell F-101 Voodoos flying overhead don't attack the sub. A feel good comedy indeed.