The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! **** (1966, Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Alan Arkin, John Phillip Law) – Classic Movie Review 5,722

Norman Jewison’s hilarious, frenzied 1966 satirical American Cold War comedy film The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! follows the panic and chaos after a Soviet submarine is grounded off a small New England island.

Producer-director Norman Jewison’s hilarious, frenzied 1966 satirical American comedy film The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! comes from the Cold War paranoia era in which Russians wash up in a submariner at a Nantucket seaside town and create all manner of trouble. Panic and chaos ensue after the Soviet submarine Спрут (pronounced sproot; meaning octopus) is grounded off a small New England island.

There were four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay, but no wins. However, it won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical and Alan Arkin won Best Actor – Comedy or Musical.

William Rose’s thoroughly amusing screenplay from Nathaniel Benchley’s 1961 novel The Off-Islanders is the peg on which to hang a bunch of marvellous performances, not least from Alan Arkin in his hilarious Oscar-nominated feature début as the bewildered Russian lieutenant, Rozanov.

The other brilliant funsters are New York writer Carl Reiner as a New York writer, on holiday with his wife (Eva Marie Saint), who finds the Russkies on his doorstep; Brian Keith as the bemused head cop, Police Chief Link Mattocks; Paul Ford as the crazy sword-wielding military man, Fendall Hawkins; and Tessie O’Shea as the phone operator gossip, Alice Foss.

John Phillip Law sweetly handles the dull bit of a Russian sailor called Alexei Kolchin’s romance with an American gal, Alison Palmer (Andrea Dromm), making it charming instead of just dull.

Also in the cast are Jonathan Winters, Theodore Bikel as the Russian Captain, Ben Blue, Michael J Pollard, Dick Shaal, Parker Fennelly, Doro Merande and Johnnie Whittaker.

The film premiered on 25 May 1966, captured the mood of the day and was a hit, costing $3.9 million and earning $21.7 million at the box office.

The film was shot on the coast of Northern California, mainly in Mendocino, though it is set on the fictional Gloucester Island off the coast of Massachusetts.

It is made by The Mirisch Corporation, who hired a mock-up of a submarine used in the 1965 Marlon Brando film Morituri.

The score, composed, arranged and conducted by Johnny Mandel, was released by United Artists in 1966.

Pablo Ferro creates the notable main title sequence.

Character actor Leon Belasco, who was born in Russia, is the dialogue director.

Sixty years later, Alan Arkin could still remember his Russian lines after studying Russian for his role as Lieutenant Rozanov.

Eva Marie Saint (born 4 July 1924) turned 99 on 4 July 2023, as the oldest living Academy Award-winner. She made her film debut in On the Waterfront (1954), which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5,722

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