The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!
Seen it?1966 | 126 min | Comedy, War
Saturday Specialearly ratingWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (83% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it drew serious awards attention. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh and history buffs. If you loved The Enemy Below, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Light and funny, intense.
- The pace
- Breezy, at 2 hr 6 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1966: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
When a Soviet submarine gets stuck on a sandbar off the coast of a New England island, its commander orders his second-in-command, Lieutenant Rozanov, to get them moving again before there is an international incident. Rozanov seeks assistance from the island locals, including the police chief and a vacationing television writer, while trying to allay their fears of a Communist invasion by claiming he and his crew are Norwegian sailors.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
83% on Rotten Tomatoes, 69 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.5 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 1 Golden Globe: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Also nominated for 4 Oscars. Plus 1 other award.
- Box office & staying powerSolid
$22 million worldwide on a $4 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 48K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Norman Jewison
- Carl ReinerWalt Whittaker
- Eva Marie SaintElspeth Whittaker
- Alan ArkinLt. Rozanov
- Brian KeithPolice Chief Link Mattocks
- Paul FordFendall Hawkins
- Theodore BikelThe Russian captain
- Jonathan WintersNorman Jones
- Tessie O'SheaAlice Foss
- John Phillip LawAlexei Kolchin
- Ben BlueLuther Grilk