How a 1966 Cold War Comedy Won Over Both Washington and the Kremlin
In short: When a Soviet submarine runs aground on a small New England island, the resulting panic reveals the absurdity of Cold War tensions. This 1966 hit, directed by Norman Jewison, managed the rare feat of humanizing the enemy, earning critical acclaim and even moving Soviet officials to tears during private screenings.
Released in 1966, The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming depicts the chaotic aftermath of a Soviet submarine, the Sprut, grounding on a sandbar near a fictional New England island. Based on Nathaniel Benchley’s 1961 novel The Off-Islanders, the film follows a landing party’s desperate search for a boat to free their vessel. Their presence triggers a series of misunderstandings, transforming a minor maritime accident into a full-blown, rumor-fueled panic among the island's 200 residents, who fear a full-scale invasion.
The production faced significant logistical hurdles, including the United States Navy and the Soviet Embassy both refusing to provide a real submarine. Instead, the crew utilized a rented mockup previously featured in the 1965 film Morituri. To ensure authenticity in the dialogue, the production hired Leon Belasco, a Russian-born actor and dialect coach, to guide the cast. Alan Arkin, who played Lieutenant Yuri Rozanov, studied the language so thoroughly that he reportedly remembered his lines decades later.
Despite being a farce, the film carried a message of peace that resonated across the Iron Curtain. Norman Jewison noted that the film was screened at the Kremlin, where prominent directors like Sergei Bondarchuk were moved to tears, reportedly lamenting that they had not produced such a film themselves. The movie earned four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and remains a notable example of how satire could bridge the divide during the height of the Cold War.
Critical reception was largely positive, with Variety calling it an outstanding Cold War comedy, though some reviewers like Brendan Gill found the direction overly frantic. The film’s score, composed by Johnny Mandel, famously featured Peggy Lee’s lyrics for The Shining Sea. By coincidence, Lee’s lyrics perfectly matched the on-screen romance between a Russian sailor and a local babysitter, despite her never having seen the film before writing them.
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