The Russians are Coming. The Russians are Coming Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: The Russians are Coming. The Russians are Coming
Year: 1966
Director: Norman Jewison
Country: US
Language: English

Ah Russia, bitter frenemy of the United States since World War Two ended. Many films have been made about their rivalry. The Hunt for Red October was a suspenseful action film from 1990, which taught Americans to be afraid of Russian submarines. Rocky IV pitted the American antagonist Rocky Balboa against the fearless Russia fighting machine Ivan Drago and lifted the spirits of the non-communists alike. The Russians are coming. The Russians are Coming made us pee our pants from laughter

Without hostile intent, a Soviet sub runs aground off New England. Men are sent for a boat, but many villagers go into a tizzy, risking bloodshed. 

Made my Norman Jewison, the Director of Moonstruck and the ever so serious Heat of the Night,  The Russians are Coming is a picture that makes it difficult to take cold war propoganda seriously ever again. It begins with a simple but effective animation of the Russian and American flags fighting for prominence while the chorus duels with patriotic music from both nations. Don't be fooled however; this patriotic beginning is only meant to pave the way for hilarious stapstick that takes shot at both sides of the "war".

No side is safe in this madcap comedy that turns a very serious matter on its head. The film, which stars Jonathon Winters ( It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World) is fully of silly quotable lines like “I wasn’t trying to, well, I was trying to kill you, I’ll admit that, but it wasn’t anything personal.” and “Don’t tell them anything! He hasn’t even tortured you yet!”Steering clear of politics, Russians are Coming, ribs both nations equally. Both sides are fools for being so paranoid and both sides are ,in a way, right about their preferred political stance.

The film succeeds because it has heart underneath all the jokes. It has an optimistic message that isn't overly sentimental. Overall, Russians are Coming is a sly silly film that deserves to be seen in a similar light as Dr.Strangelove.