Most war films are indeed serious as they’re based on actual events. But The Russians Are Coming (1966) is a Cold War comedy movie packed with dark humor and cool backdrops. While watching the movie, many film buffs have wondered about its filming locations. So, why not give them the answer? In this article, I’ll discuss the movie and tell you where was The Russians Are Coming filmed.
The Russians Are Coming, which is also known as The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, recounts the story of a Russian submarine that comes quite close to the coast of America’s New England. The Cold War comedy movie boasts an incredible cast, including veteran and legendary actors like Alan Arkin, Theodore Bikel, Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, and Brian Keith.
Hollywood produced numerous movies about the Cold War, which was a period of geopolitical tension between America and the Soviet Union. The Cold War did not involve any battles, but it was more about ideologies and stopping the expansion of communism. You must have heard or watched movies like Bridge Of Spies, U.N.C.L.E, Dr Stangelove, The Courier and many more. But The Russians Are Coming is a different kind of movie that is more of a satire.
Now let’s get back to your main question about where was The Russians Are Coming filmed. The Cold War comedy movie was filmed in California, United States of America.
Helmed by Norman Jewison and written by William Rose, The Russians Are Coming premiered on 25th May 1966, followed by its release in the United Kingdom on 16th September 1966. The Cold War comedy movie is a Mirisch Corporation production distributed internationally and in the US by United Artists. However, let’s learn more about the filming locations without any further delay.
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Where Was The Russians Are Coming Filmed? Cold War Comedy Filming Locations!
Norman Jewison’s The Russians Are Coming received critical acclaim and was a massive hit at the box office. The Cold War comedy movie earned over $21 million against a production budget of just $3.9 million. It was one of the highest-grossing movies of 1966. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and won two Golden Globe Awards.
The New York Times’s Robert Alden praised almost every aspect of the movie, whereas Variety’s Arthur D Murphy gave the film a positive review, calling it “an outstanding cold-war comedy.” The Cold War comedy flick got a rating of 7 on IMDb and a score of 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, let’s get down to business and check out where was The Russians Are Coming filmed.
California, United States Of America
The Cold War comedy movie The Russians Are Coming was filmed in multiple locations in California. Even though the story is set on the fictional island of Gloucester near the coast of Massachusetts, filming took place in different locations across California.
Most of the filming took place in Northern California, primarily in Mendocino, an unincorporated community that falls under Mendocino County. Most of the harbor scenes in the movie were filmed in Noyo Harbor, situated in Fort Bragg, California.
The submarine used in the movie is not an actual submarine. The production team wanted to get their hands on a real submarine from the United States Navy, but their request was refused. Then, they requested the Russian Embassy and received a similar response. The production team finally rented the mockup of a submarine used in the Marlon Brando starrer war thriller Morituri.
On the other hand, the fighter jets you see in the movie are real F-101 Voodoo jets from the 84th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, which is situated at the Hamilton Air Force Base. Some other locations where filming took place include Bodega Bay, Westport, Caspar, and Eureka.
Plot Of The Russians Are Coming (1966) | It’s Not A Soviet Invasion!
The Russians Are Coming story is set during the Cold War and revolves around Yuri Rozanov, played by Alan Arkin. Yuri is a lieutenant and the second-in-command to the Commander, played by Theodore Bikel, of the Soviet submarine Sprut.
While patrolling near the American coast, the submarine gets stuck on a sandbar near the coast of a New England island. The commander orders Yuri to solve the issue immediately before it becomes a severe geopolitical issue.
Yuri takes nine other soldiers and arrives at the shore of Gloucester Island to get hold of a motorboat to release the submarine. He seeks help from the locals, including a police chief, Link Mattocks, played by Brian Keith, and a journalist, Walt Whittaker, played by Carl Reiner. Soon, the locals realized they were not Norwegian sailors, as they claimed, but Soviet soldiers. The news of the communist invasion quickly spreads across the island.
Final Words
The Russians Are Coming is a cinematic masterpiece that is highly recommended. If you’re fond of satire films, then make sure you don’t miss out on this movie. It is available on several streaming platforms. However, if you enjoyed going through the article, then do not forget to let me know.
Where Can You Stream The Russians Are Coming?
You can stream The Russians Are Coming on PlutoTV, Tubi, Vudu, and Prime Video.
Is The Russians Are Coming An R-Rated Movie?
No, The Russians Are Coming is not an R-rated movie.
Is The Movie The Russians Are Coming Based On A Novel?
Yes, the movie The Russians Are Coming is based on the 1961 novel The Off-Islanders by Nathaniel Benchley.
