Customer Reviews

The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming [VHS]

5 star:		(93)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I have watched this movie more times than I can count, and each time I find myself laughing until I cry. When a Russian submarine accidentally runs aground of a sleepy little island summer town, the people literally go nuts. Alan Arkin, Carl Reiner, Brian Keith and Jonathan Winters are just a few of the many fine actors who make this movie a laugh a minute. When the bumbling Russians tie up and gag the elderly Post-Mistress "Muriel Everitt" and sit her on top of the refrigerator - you will laugh until your sides ache when her nearly deaf husband eats breakfast 2 feet from her and never realizes she's behind him struggling to get his attention. The sight of Carl Reiner tied up face to face with the hefty town operator and their efforts to hop down a steep flight of steps, (ending, naturally, with the heavy woman falling on top of Carl Reiner and passing out ) is more than I could take with out laughing until I cried. Please rent this movie and have the entire family watch it with you. It's in the genre of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and you will enjoy every moment !

Forget the American characters, the story here is the Russians, led by Theodore Bikel as the Russian sub captain who just wants to get a closer look at the enemy and Alan Arkin as his long-suffering first officer. (As well as John Phillip Law as a young and innocent Russian sailor.) And yes, Arkin's wonderful line "Everybody to get from strit" has long been a family favorite.

As for the nostalgia for "simpler days" of the sixties, let's remember that this film was made in 1965/66, which means it was written no later than 1964. Deep, dark, scary days. It was released only three years after the murder of President Kennedy, four after the Cuban missile crisis, a year at most after the Tonkin Gulf incident that provided the US with a convenient excuse for committing troops to Vietnam, a short ten years after the Mau Mau massacres in the Congo, another short ten years after the Russians sent tanks into Hungary, and a very short twenty years after World War II.

There was nothing simple or innocent about those days. The world was tired and aching. Can anyone be blamed for making films that featured a simpler context: a small town where everyone really does know everyone else, where people take care of each other despite their differences, and where a few people from opposite sides of the cold war can work together? "The Russians Are Coming. . ." belongs to a genre of peace films that reached their zenith in the fifties and sixties, climaxing, of course, with "Dr. Strangelove, or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Bomb." Others in this genre include "The Day the Earth Stood Still," a long-forgotten sci-fi film called "The 37th Day," "Fail Safe," and "The President's Analyst" which, like "The Russians Are Coming. . ." seems dated now but still wears well.

If it seems quaint and innocent now, bear in mind that all times but our own seem quaint and innocent, simply because we're not involved in them. We don't have to pick up the paper every day and wonder about whether we really should behead the king or put a bomb shelter in our back yard (yes, I had friends who had them). Like beauty, quaintness and innocence are often in the eye of the beholder.

But above all, the film is driven by Alan Arkin's brilliant performance as a man who understands only too well the full import of the situation in which he's trapped. His growing desperation as the situation becomes at once funnier and more dangerous is set against the insane and inane kneejerk patriotism of both the Americans and the Russians and mark him as the only sane man in the asylum. For all the film's innocent silliness, its message is much darker: how does a sane man survive in a world gone mad? By doing the best he can in his little part of it.

This movie takes a different approach to the Cold War than did Kubrick's classic Dr. Strangelove, playing on the hysteria in a more conventional way. There is no end to the mirth in this one as the Russians find themselves stranded off Cape Cod, and go in search of help. Soon the whole town is in a panic, with forces mobilized against the red peril. Jewison makes the most of the situation, creating so many amusing scenes anchored by excellent performances. Alan Arkin is the straight man in this farce, which spins wildly out of control, before being brought back down to earth when a boy is found hanging by his finger nails to a roof eave. I imagine Jewison got into some hot water for portraying Russians as human. This movie was made at the height of the Cold War when Americans could only see Russians as the evil menace. The movie has held up well over time thanks in large part to the many fine performances.

I am dumbfounded by Maltins'"overated" comment on this movie because this is a comedy that is STILL beloved by all ages. I remember seeing this at the drivein in my pajamas with the huge bag of homemade popcorn and my 3 brothers stuffed in the back of a 1960 comet. The story of a small town's reaction to a Russian sub landing on their island, by mistake, is pure joy and hillarity. I still love this wonderful movie with the comic GIANTS such as Alan Arkin, Jonathan Winters, Carl Reiner, and many more. Actually filmed on the Northern coast of California, director Norman Jewison is a genius that we sorely miss in today's techno-mass marketed, slasher/crud movies. A MUST-SEE for anyone who appreciates classic comedy!

I also agree that this has to be one of the best comedies from the 1960's. With Norman Jewison directing, this isn't your average flick, quite polished for a comedy, with excellent editing and cinematography and a strong script adapted from Benchley's novel. Jewison's creation of place captures just the right amount of sleepyness for this small island, and is perfect. Many of the performances are also exceptional, highlighted by Brian Keith as the long-suffering Glouscester Island sheriff; Jonathan Winters, of course, as one of his deputies; Carl Reiner as the vacationing writer; Eva Marie Saint as his long-suffering wife; their son (whose name escapes me, but who almost steals the movie with his antics); and Alan Arkin, as the long-suffering Soviet submarine lieutenant who must somehow get his sub off the reef. But first he must venture on-shore with his men and into the lives of the feared Americans. For its time, this movie must have been quite subversive given how the Russians are portrayed, which is truthful, normal and with affection. These aren't killers, just sailors, and right off the bat we're rooting for them to succeed. Arkin gives one of his best performances ever; it's a pleasure to watch him swing from drama to comedy and back. His rendition of the Reiner character's name as "Whitaker Walt" is a classic and a family favorite. He does it all here, and very movingly. The same can be said for Keith, who also shows great range and appeal. This movie also has one of the best endings of any film. A great comedy with a great message.

This day and age, it seems like comedies are made to outdo the last one.....The Russians are coming, The Russians are Coming is a film that will always stand alone in American Film History, not a masterpiece, just a great comedy. Simply put, this movie echoes many of the sentiments that were evident at the time of the movies release. Not everyone was totally "global" in their thinking during The Cold War as today, and many relied on "hear say" for news and events. This movie is all about communication with each other....and not communicating with each other... Every character in this movie is someone we all can relate to sometime in our lives be it good, bad, friend or foe. And our perceptions of Russians at that time was right on point as Alan Arkin proves. We have all had our experiences with "did you hear?" in word of mouth chat in our communities. This movie brings that piece of our lives home, and in the end, makes us reflect on our own fears, perceptions and truths. There are times while viewing this movie that you forget the actors are acting, it almost appears like you are watching a real township's people assemble to tackle the great unknown....which is an overblown crisis from two points of view.....

"The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming" is great picture, no explosions, no special effects, just a fun film to watch with great characters. Enjoy!

I'm old enough that I first saw this classic at the theatre, yep, upwards of 40 years ago. I laughed then, and haven't stopped.

I have a habit of collecting films that are a must for my library when they come out in different formats. So, while I already had this in VCR, it's now necessary to get it for DVD. It hasn't lost even a little of its humorous effect.

Where does one start? Alan Arkin was brilliant, deserved an academy award. Carl Reiner was fabulous. Perhaps my favorite of all, even to this day, was Paul Ford. (Oh, and Jonothan Winter's part is incredible.)

But the DVD is even better than the others. You see, there's an interview with producer/director Norman Jewison that's worth its weight in gold. He goes on about how well the actors worked together. And I remember that the film, even in my much younger days, gave me some hope: Maybe we CAN live together despite Cold War rhetoric and the like. It seems the Russians felt the same way!

This is a film that should be part of everyone's collection. It's hysterial, satirical, some of the finest acting I've ever seen--and a collection of one liners to make the Marx Bros. jealous. Get it and relish it.

I appreciate this movie because it is intelligently written, with a good story line and excellent comedy. But the best part is the message - how misunderstandings between people of different countries can lead to disaster! A good movie and discussion starter for kids age 8 and up.

First I want to thank MGM for making such a excellent quality DVD. They did a superb job on transferring this movie. The color, picture, and sound quality is outstanding. It was better than watching it the first time at the theater. I am glad I bought it on DVD. That said, this is a great family movie. Those that know what it was like during the Cold War during the 50s-80s may find it even more funny. But anyone that enjoys comedys like "Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", "War Games", and any of the National Lampoon movies will love it. Most the movie was filmed in beautiful Gloucester. I recall my parents couldn't wait to go there after seeing this movie. I don't recall for sure but I believe it is in Massachusetts. Anyway the locations are great. The cast is perfect with Alan Arkin, Carl Reiner, Brian Keith, Jonathan Winters, and many more. The music is a mix of Russian ballads and American medleys that truly add to what is happening on screen. I won't spoil it for you by telling you to much. A Russian Sub gets stuck on a sandbar off the East coast of America while the Captain tries to get a glimpse of the United States. This is during the Cold War when America and Russia where ready to Nuke each other if someone looked cross eyed at each other. The crew goes ashore to get a boat to free the sub and what takes place is sometimes hysterically funny when the townspeople find out. The ending has a great message and was prophetic of future relations.

I just saw this movie again last night. I was 11 years old when I first saw it and back then there was something about the Arkin character that got to me. I thought he was soooo sexy, and cool. My friends couldn't figure out why I didn't like the blond Russian sailor, but in my mind, Arkin was much more interesting. I'm glad to say that I still feel that way many years later. I think most people who see this film realize the same thing-current comedies play us for fools and dumb down the content. The fact that this film had no subtitles during the long opening sequence forced us to pay attention to the acting. The decision to forgo the subtitles put us in the same situation as the Islanders-who were these people?, what were they saying?, and what did they want? Beyond the obvious political points of the film, it charmed us both with its subtleties (Arkin's attraction to the wife of the American writer) and its uproarious comedy (Jonathan Winter's "can't we get organized?"). In the end, this film wears extremely well because of its subtleties and great comedy, long after the end of the cold war.