Perhaps this movie played a lot better back in 1966 or perhaps it was a really, really poor year for films or perhaps the Oscar folks were just nuts. All I know is that when I saw "The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming", it was hard to imagine that it was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar! The picture begins with an accident in which a Soviet submarine gets stuck. It seems the Captain (Theodore Bikel) wanted to get a look at America and the ship just got too close. So, an officer (Alan Arkin) takes a few men ashore--looking to steal a boat so they can tow the sub away from the sandbar. Obviously, they should have just asked for help and by sneaking ashore, townsfolk soon think they are being invaded. Ultimately, this results in a huge confrontation where the Captain threatens to blow up the town and the Sheriff (Brian Keith) threatens to shoot back! This confrontation is broken up by an accident involving young Johnny Whitaker--and everyone is instantly buddies and the world is saved.

All in all, the film suffers from three problems. First, as a comedy, it just isn't funny. Second, at times the film shows poor writing. The romance happens way too fast and way too easily and the ending involving Whitaker is embarrassingly done, as it's so contrived and obvious. And, what happens next strains credibility WAY beyond the breaking point. Third, the film tries hard to make a statement about peace and the Cold War--and I think it should have focused more on this than attempts at humor (attempts, mind you, only ATTEMPTS). All in all, a great idea for a film and some nice performances--but it's all for naught. A decent time passer but NOT another "Dr. Strangelove"--another picture that was nominated for Best Picture but actually deserved this (and so much more).

By the way, although some of the principles in the film (Keith, Arkin, Paul Ford and Carl Reiner) all have good parts and make quite a bit of it, some other folks are totally wasted. In particular, Jonathan Winters is in the film but has absolutely NOTHING to do and is wasted. How could they do this with such a naturally funny man?!

How well I remember seeing The Russians Are Coming The Russians Are Coming way back in theater and enjoying this wonderful satire on Cold War paranoia. Norman Jewison put together a great cast of scene stealing players and it's great to see these guys try to top each other.

A Russian submarine keeping an eye on our naval movements off the American shore runs aground on the shore of eastern Long Island which is quite like it was in 1966, sparsely populated with small towns. Non speaking English Captain Theodore Bikel sends Lieutenant Alan Arkin ashore with some men including young seaman John Philip Law without any real instructions.

People spot these Russian speaking sailors and the panic starts. Arkin arrives at the house of Carl Reiner who is a composer with wife Eva Marie Saint and son Sheldon Collins and niece Andrea Dromm. Law makes his own separate peace with Dromm. Nice piece it is too.

Arkin and Reiner are great together, Arkin with his fractured English and Reiner trying to both be civilized and live up to his son's expectations of killing the dirty Reds who've invaded.

When word gets out Brian Keith as sheriff and deputy Jonathan Winters have to compete with Paul Ford at his blusteriest who is ready to form a militia on the spot. What an advertisement for Second Amendment absolutists.

Lots of funny stuff involving these Russians stuck in a place they've been taught to fear as enemies and the Americans who've been cut off in this remote part of Long Island who are paranoid over an invasion. Let's say a humanitarian situation brings this part of the Cold War to a complete thaw.

But I will say that I doubt in those days there was a Soviet equivalent. Is there a film out there called The Yankees Are Coming The Yankees Are Coming.

This is still a very funny film.

A Russian submarine gets stuck on a sandbar after getting too close to Gloucester Island, Massachusetts. Lieutenant Rozanov (Alan Arkin) leads a group to find a motor boat to pull the submarine back out into the ocean. New Yorker musical playwright Walt Whittaker (Carl Reiner) and his family had rented a house and are the first to encounter the Russians. As rumors spread, fear and chaos ensue. Police Chief Link Mattocks (Brian Keith) tries to keep calm despite his bumbling deputy Norman Jonas (Jonathan Winters). To make matters worst, old-timer Fendall Hawkins organizes a riled-up militia.

It's a lot of people yelling and talking over each other. It's a lot of misunderstandings and not-listening. It adds up to a mad-cap comedy of mostly annoying people. This era of comedy is not always that funny to me. It's half-funny and half-frustrating. There are very few appealing characters but there is some idiotic fun.