Virtual Friday Night Films at the Wende: Russian Souvenir and The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming

Presented in conjunction with Vladimir Paperny’s discussion on Hollywood in Moscow, this week’s selection is a double feature of Cold War comedies.

In this musical comedy, an airplane makes an emergency landing on the shores of Lake Baikal. The passengers include an American millionaire, an Italian countess, and the only Soviet citizen among the group—engineer Varvara Komarova, who becomes their guide. Their unexpected visit to a new city in Siberia challenges their preconceptions of the Soviet Union.

Watch for free (without subtitles) on Mosfilm’s YouTube channel.

The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, dir. Norman Jewison, 1966, United States, 126 min.

When a Soviet submarine runs aground in New England, it creates a local panic. Alan Arkin stars in this Golden Globe-winning screwball comedy, his first screen appearance. Although the film was made at the height of the Cold War, it was one of few American films to portray Russians in a positive light.

Watch for free on Pluto TV.

—

Virtual Film Picks are inspired by the in-person Friday Night Films at the Wende program series. This selection is part of a curated list of weekly movie suggestions that can be watched at home, in conjunction with #WendeOnline.