The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Norman Jewison

Writers:

Nathaniel Benchley (novel)
William Rose (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 May 1966 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Boat | Submarine | Island | Sailor | New England

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

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

Also Known As:

The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | USA:Unrated | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Bodega Bay, California, USA

Company:

Mirisch Corporation, The

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.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Kolchin is saying goodbye to Allyson before jumping on the submarine, a woman in a blue coat passes by behind them on her way to the small crafts. A few moments later, the same blue-coated woman is running behind them again.

Quotes:

Alexei Kolchin: In Union of Soviet, when I am only young boy, many are saying, Americanski are bad people, they will attack Russia. So all mistrust American. But I think that I do not mistrust American... not really sinceriously. I wish not to hate... anybody!
[He throws a stone into the sea]
Alexei Kolchin: This make good reason to you, Alison Palmer?
Alison Palmer: Well, of course it does. It doesn't make sense to hate people. It's such a waste of time.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Private Screenings: Norman Jewison" (2007)

Soundtrack:

The Shining Sea

Funnier still if you've lived on a New England island

I lived on Martha's Vineyard for three years, which is why this film still commands a place in my heart. I was particularly amused by the habit of the lawmen (Keith, Winters) to regard the summer people as idiots because they don't know them, and the year-round residents as idiots because they know them too well. Gloucester Island is televisionless and almost radioless, as Nantucket was at the time, which added to the buildup of confusion in this long (in the style of the '60s) but still enjoyable comedy.