Rating: 
Summary: Everybody to get from street...and buy this video!
Review: I also agree that this has to be one of the best comedies from the 1960's. With Norman Jewison directing, this isn't your average flick, quite polished for a comedy, with excellent editing and cinematography and a strong script adapted from Benchley's novel. Jewison's creation of place captures just the right amount of sleepyness for this small island, and is perfect. Many of the performances are also exceptional, highlighted by Brian Keith as the long-suffering Glouscester Island sheriff; Jonathan Winters, of course, as one of his deputies; Carl Reiner as the vacationing writer; Eva Marie Saint as his long-suffering wife; their son (whose name escapes me, but who almost steals the movie with his antics); and Alan Arkin, as the long-suffering Soviet submarine lieutenant who must somehow get his sub off the reef. But first he must venture on-shore with his men and into the lives of the feared Americans. For its time, this movie must have been quite subversive given how the Russians are portrayed, which is truthful, normal and with affection. These aren't killers, just sailors, and right off the bat we're rooting for them to succeed. Arkin gives one of his best performances ever; it's a pleasure to watch him swing from drama to comedy and back. His rendition of the Reiner character's name as "Whitaker Walt" is a classic and a family favorite. He does it all here, and very movingly. The same can be said for Keith, who also shows great range and appeal. This movie also has one of the best endings of any film. A great comedy with a great message.
Rating:
Summary: A CLASSIC COMEDY FOR ALL AGES!
Review: I am dumbfounded by Maltins'"overated" comment on this movie because this is a comedy that is STILL beloved by all ages. I remember seeing this at the drivein in my pajamas with the huge bag of homemade popcorn and my 3 brothers stuffed in the back of a 1960 comet. The story of a small town's reaction to a Russian sub landing on their island, by mistake, is pure joy and hillarity. I still love this wonderful movie with the comic GIANTS such as Alan Arkin, Jonathan Winters, Carl Reiner, and many more. Actually filmed on the Northern coast of California, director Norman Jewison is a genius that we sorely miss in today's techno-mass marketed, slasher/crud movies. A MUST-SEE for anyone who appreciates classic comedy!
Rating: 
Summary: Intelligent, Funny, but with a timely message
Review: I appreciate this movie because it is intelligently written, with a good story line and excellent comedy. But the best part is the message - how misunderstandings between people of different countries can lead to disaster! A good movie and discussion starter for kids age 8 and up.
Rating: 
Summary: Just not the same...
Review: I bought this movie based on my chilhood memories of it (mistake). Now that I have seen it again I sure was disapointed. On paper it sounds great...all the right actors...funny plot...you get it. Unfourtianitly the movie falls flat on it's face--Johnathan Winters was so briliant in Mad, Mad, World--but his performance here is simply embarassing. I have to say just skip this one!
Rating:
Summary: An excellent lesson in Cold War era politics.
Review: I concur with others that Leonard Maltin has it wrong. This is an extremely enjoyable film because of the excellent cast,especially Alan Arkin.
Rating:
Summary: Character Is Key In This Low-Key Comedy
Review: I feel really old when I realize that I saw this film in a movie theater when it first came out. At that time, Carl Reiner was well-known from the Sid Caesar Show and the Dick Van Dyke Show, and Alan Arkin had made a big comic splash in "Enter Laughing" and was considered a rising star (somehow he never achieved full stardom and wound up doing odd character roles). Eva Marie Saint was a powerhouse dramatic actress ("On The Waterfront") doing a politically-incorrect simpering housewife role. Paul Ford was known for playing the colonel on the Phil Silvers "Sergeant Bilko" series. John Philip Law was the hunk du jour (and whatever happened to him?)and Andrea Dromm, the other half of the love story, apparently played out her entire movie career in this one film.Initially, I was disappointed in the film because I'd read Nathaniel Benchley's novel, "The Off-Islanders," which was a much richer and more subtle story. In time, the movie won me over and I still love watching it. Most of the deliberately "comic" set pieces misfire--many of the routines go on too long (the blustery tension between Paul Ford's obsessed veteran and Brian Keith's put-upon police chief, for example)and Jewison, a good director in other respects, has no sense of comic timing.I do laugh, though, at the silly bit where Reiner and Tessie O'Shea are tied up face to face and attempt to get down a steep flight of stairs. This is funny mostly because of Reiner's own timing. Overall, the film could benefit by a cut of about 10-15 minutes. What does keep me coming back is the warm, layered characterization of Alan Arkin's lieutenant and the journey of Carl Reiner's musical comedy writer from terrified schnook to murderous family man to chastened and maturing citizen.Reiner is actually scary when he fires a shotgun through the window of the car Arkin is driving. He's been pushed to the edge by his obnoxious son's goading and by the frightening threats to his family.The scene where he looks into the window of the crashed car and tries to apologize to the even-more-frightened Arkin is delicate and charmingly funny. Arkin seems to be in another film most of the time. His character is richly detailed and subtle. He is clearly a better sailor than his stubborn captain (Theodore Bikel), and his repressed fury at the captain's stupidity is a character study in itself. He portrays fear, determination, resourcefulness, tenderness, and exasperation, all without pushing or overacting (the same can't be said for some of the other principals, notably Jonathan Winters, who never succeeds in a scripted part). There is gentle satire in the portrayal of the easily duped and insular residents of Gloucester Island (Arkin's attempt to pronounce this name from a map is a gem in itself), though silent movie star Ben Blue wildly overacts. Brian Keith captures the weariness of a small town police chief's life, and his personal best moment comes when he faces the Soviet sub, guns trained on his town, and whips out his citation book to write out a ticket. The mandatory romance isn't too annoying since Law and Dromm play it low-key and have some genuine charm. The two children are dreadfully annoying, though the boy is meant to be that way. Reiner's cry to his wife, "Hit him!" as he drives away, will definitely draw a sympathetic laugh. The other unfortunate note (aside from the romance)is the Hollywood ending. The sub captain is bluffing the townspeople, thinking his men are being held (they aren't; they've commandeered a speedboat which unaccountably missed seeing the sub sail into the harbor). He threatens to blow up the town in one minute. The townspeople, in a wonderful shot, take aim with their hunting rifles and pistols, terror showing in their eyes. The captain is also terrified. The standoff has real tension, but it's solved by the awful gimmick of having a little boy (who to this point has played no part in the film) dangle from a church tower. Naturally, the Russian sailors scramble from the sub to help and everyone is now consumed with a spirit of detente. It leaves a bad taste, made worse by Saint's suggestion that the townspeople escort the sub safely out of the harbor (no doubt they will all face intense grilling by our government, and possibly jail time). However, I always recover from that lapse and the movie leaves me feeling mostly charmed and happy. I find myself reciting "Egermecy--everybody to get from street!" at odd times, and I realize that this film makes me nostalgic for a time when movie comedies did not have to be vicious or filthy or both.
Rating:
Summary: Yes Sting, the Russians love their children too
Review: I first saw this film on television in 1969, when I was 8 years old. I have never forgotten it, and I enjoy it as much now as I did in 1969 (although with a more adult understanding and appreciation of the many layers of meaning!). The characters are well written and acted, and the entire situation is both believable and hilarious. Alan Arkin is superb; I believe he won a Golden Globe for this role, which he definitely deserved. I only recently tracked down and purchased a copy of this film. Last week, as I was playing with my 1-year-old son, I watched it again, and found myself longing for the 'simpler' days of 1965 - and thinking that this film could never have been made nowadays, in this age of instant and constant communication. How quaint that the outside world remained in ignorance of the Russian 'invasion' because a few telephone lines were cut. In 2001, everyone of those gun-toting islanders would have had a cell phone in his other pocket. How glad I am that they did not!!! The ending is lovely. I recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a good laugh and doesn't mind having his or her heart warmed as well.
Rating:
Summary: still very good, but could be better
Review: I first saw this film when it opened in 1966, and last night i saw it again, a video version from amazon. it's still just as funny as it was the first time. I was lucky enough to live in the no. california town where they filmed it in 1965, and there's a certain charm in returning to my boyhood. Alan arkin steals the film in my opinion. His russian submarine lieutenant is just wonderful, although the rest of the cast (reiner, saint, winters, and the lot) are all wonderful, too. The new video version (i bought mine in dec 2000) suffers from two problems, however. 1) When are vdeo makers going to start letterboxing the films? There are several scenes in this film that are ruined, because the non-letterboxed version isn't wide enough for what norman jewison wanted us to see. Shame on you video makers. Is letterboxing that hard? 2) Some idiot apparently decided that subtitles were a good thing. They aren't. The original version of this film had no subtitles, and for a darn good reason: Their lack puts us in the same boat as the islanders, not knowing exactly who these strangers are and what they're saying. And the subtitles absolutely ruin the pierside scene where arkin acts as translator for the police chief (brian keith) and the submarine captain (theodore bikel). It's still screamingly funny, but if you letterbox it and get rid of the subtitles, you'll have a five star film, even if that pooh-head leonard maltin disagrees.
Rating:
Summary: A Hilarious Spoof of the Cold War
Review: I had no idea what I was getting into when I started this movie. The opening scene is a group of men in a submarine speaking Russian... with no subtitles... let me just say that I was very confused. But these odd bouts of randomness are what makes this movie so great! I would definitely watch this movie again, and highly recommend it to anyone who appreciates Monty-Python type comedy.
Rating:
Summary: The Laughs are coming, the Laughs are coming !
Review: I have watched this movie more times than I can count, and each time I find myself laughing until I cry. When a Russian submarine accidentally runs aground of a sleepy little island summer town, the people literally go nuts. Alan Arkin, Carl Reiner, Brian Keith and Jonathan Winters are just a few of the many fine actors who make this movie a laugh a minute. When the bumbling Russians tie up and gag the elderly Post-Mistress "Muriel Everitt" and sit her on top of the refrigerator - you will laugh until your sides ache when her nearly deaf husband eats breakfast 2 feet from her and never realizes she's behind him struggling to get his attention. The sight of Carl Reiner tied up face to face with the hefty town operator and their efforts to hop down a steep flight of steps, (ending, naturally, with the heavy woman falling on top of Carl Reiner and passing out ) is more than I could take with out laughing until I cried. Please rent this movie and have the entire family watch it with you. It's in the genre of "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" and you will enjoy every moment !
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