Zany comedy about a group of Russian sailors - led by Alan Arkin - who find themselves stranded on a small, tight-knit New England island town. Not able to speak the language, they try to steal a boat to get off of the island hoping not to encounter any of the locals. Eventually rumors spread all over the island about invaders and everyone panics ("It's all over!" predicts one paranoid resident).
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| The Russians disguise themselves as as locals |
There are some funny sight gags and comedic bits involving the paranoid townsfolk. One bit has Jonathan Winters at the kitchen table with his 8 little children prepping the family about a possible attack. There's a town drunk that's funny, and an old woman who gets tied to a chair while her near-sighted husband hardly notices.
But there are some softer moments, too, especially the scenes involving one of the Russians falling in love with a young woman. Carl Reiner and Eva Marie Saint are the only two people who know why the Russians are there and try to explain it to everyone else. Another voice of reason is Brian Keith, who plays the police chief. Also starring Theodore Bikel.
It's an enjoyable satire about paranoia in the days before cable news, the internet, smart phones phones, and Twitter.
