Some of the bloom is off this relatively genial 1966 comedy that satirizes Cold War-era attitudes well before détente was established between the two sides. Directed by Norman Jewison, the film now has a relatively prosaic quality that makes the then-alarming situation between a group of Soviet soldiers and the townsfolk on an island off Massachusetts not terribly exciting. Adapted by William Rose from a book by Nathaniel Benchley, the story concerns a Russian submarine that runs aground on a sandbar on U.S. soil. Eight crewman led by Lt. Rozanov are dispatched to find a boat big enough to pull the submarine free. They first encounter a New York family vacationing on the island, a musical comedy playwright named Walt Whittaker with his wife and son. The Whittakers gradually overcome their fears to help the men out but not before the rest of the town is up in arms about a perceived Russian invasion. It all leads to a tense confrontation, but a surprise turn provides all with a greater sense of their brotherhood and the value of peace.
Carl Reiner plays Whittaker with his trademark manic energy but in a warmer hue than his Alan Brady persona. Eva Marie Saint plays his wife Elspeth, but the reactive role is well beneath her abilities. On the other hand, a convincingly Russian-accented Alan Arkin brings a zesty spirit to Rozanov in his feature film debut. An ensemble of comic character actors play the townsfolk with predictable eccentricity - Brian Keith as the flustered police chief, Jonathan Winters as a pompous police officer, Paul Ford as the overly zealous head of the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. There is a disposable romantic subplot between a young Russian sailor and the Whittakers' comely babysitter. There are even a couple of unexpected moments when the movie threatens to become more of a serious statement. The 2002 DVD has a couple of solid extras - a funny vintage trailer featuring Reiner and Arkin out of character as an interviewer and a Russian tourist, and a 23-minute making-of featurette produced for the DVD featuring Jewison reminiscing about the production and the positive impact it had on Cold War relations. Quaint fun but overlong and definitely a period piece now.
Carl Reiner plays Whittaker with his trademark manic energy but in a warmer hue than his Alan Brady persona. Eva Marie Saint plays his wife Elspeth, but the reactive role is well beneath her abilities. On the other hand, a convincingly Russian-accented Alan Arkin brings a zesty spirit to Rozanov in his feature film debut. An ensemble of comic character actors play the townsfolk with predictable eccentricity - Brian Keith as the flustered police chief, Jonathan Winters as a pompous police officer, Paul Ford as the overly zealous head of the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. There is a disposable romantic subplot between a young Russian sailor and the Whittakers' comely babysitter. There are even a couple of unexpected moments when the movie threatens to become more of a serious statement. The 2002 DVD has a couple of solid extras - a funny vintage trailer featuring Reiner and Arkin out of character as an interviewer and a Russian tourist, and a 23-minute making-of featurette produced for the DVD featuring Jewison reminiscing about the production and the positive impact it had on Cold War relations. Quaint fun but overlong and definitely a period piece now.