John Landis on The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming

Alan Arkin made his film debut as a Soviet submarine commander who runs aground off the coast of a rustic New England island that thinks it's being invaded. The large ensemble cast recalls It's a Mad Mad etc. World (also written by William Rose), but the story is more nuanced and satirical under the direction of Norman Jewison, operating here in Preston Sturges mode. An obvious influence on Spielberg's 1941.