The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! (1966)

Without hostile intent, a Soviet submarine 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 5 wins & 9 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 Jonas
Paul Ford	...	Fendall Hawkins
Theodore Bikel	...	The Russian Captain
Tessie O'Shea	...	Alice Foss
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

In the Cold War, when the captain of a Russian submarine comes too close to the Gloucester Island in Massachusetts to give a look at America, the submarine gets stranded. A nine-man team commanded by Lieutenant Rozanov goes onshore to search a motor boat to release the submarine and arrives at the summer house of the New Yorker writer Walt Whittaker that is spending the weekend with his family in Gloucester. When he realizes that they are Russians, he believes that it is an invasion. Soon the information leaks, leading hysteria and paranoia along the inhabitants of the small village.

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Plot Keywords:

soviet submarine | stranded | soviet navy | language barrier | cold war | 

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Taglines:

Don't You Just Hate People Who Drop In Unexpectedly?

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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:

Eureka, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,900,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$21,693,114

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Mirisch Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Brian Keith speaks fluent Russian which he displayed in the movie Meteor playing a Russian scientist and also a TV mini-series World War III. Ironically, Keith plays the unexcited Police Chief of Gloucester Island in this film and has Alan Arkin Translates his formal complaint from English to Russian to the Submarine Commander. Arkin also speaks Russian fluently.

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Goofs

Based on the position of the sun and shadows, the "West side" of the island (including West Village) is on the east side of the island.

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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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Alternate Versions

The restored special widescreen letterbox version, aired on network TV, has subtitles in the lower bar for the "Russian" dialogue between the Russians in which the formated video version does not have them.

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Connections

Featured in Alan Arkin: Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival (2015)

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Soundtracks

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

User Reviews

A Russian Riot

I rarely rate a movie 10/10, but this is a welcome exception. It is, without doubt, Alan Arkin's finest hour.

The story line is a laugh riot in it's own right. A Russian sub accidentally grounds on an island off New England. A squad of Russians, led by Alan Arkin, are sent ashore to secure a power boat to help free the sub. It all goes flooey and the laugh riot begins. I did think the ending was sappy, but honestly I couldn't think of one more appropriate, so I had to give them a pass.

The cast, in general, is first rate, but the casting of Alan Arkin in the lead role is inspired. He is absolutely hilarious as things spiral out of his control. "Soon there will be World War III and everybody is blaming YOU!" You will recognize some of the faces. Carl Reiner as the self-important New York writer, Brian Keith as the Town Constable, Jonathon Winters as his befuddled deputy, Ben Blue as the town drunk, and Paul Ford as a pompous retired military type. The only flaw was the casting of John Philip Law. He is an engaging actor, but his portrayal of the sensitive Russian sailor just didn't make the grade.

Usually, in a comedy this frantic, the characters tend to get lost in the slapstick. Not so in this case. Each of the characters are fleshed out to the point that you really think you know what they are thinking.

I don't know why I'm writing this review. For those of you who have seen it - no review is necessary. For those of you who haven't - there is no excuse.