# Cold War American films showing Soviets in a positive light **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 6, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300 "2019-01-06T16:54:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/21 "2019-01-06T21:18:40Z")
> [@Royal\_Nonesutch](#): > > I haven’t seen WarGames for 30 years, but were any Soviets shown at all in the entire movie? I don’t recall but (based on the Wikipedia overview) there are explicit mentions of the Soviet Union as the target/opponent in the strategical calculations that the computer is analyzing. They didn’t create a fake “Rastafarian Commie Communal Union (RCCU)” for the movie, or anything, unlike (for example) the old Mission: Impossible TV series. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/22 "2019-01-06T21:33:42Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I’ve not seen the latter, but I can say without reservation that the former was pure American wartime propaganda. As was _ **The North Star** _ (1943) with a very young Anne Baxter. Propaganda, yes. _Mission to Moscow_ was made at the behest of FDR after Russia became our ally against the Nazis. I saw it once and found it fascinating. As I have limited tolerance for Robert Taylor, I have not seen _Song of Russia_, either. Nor was I able to make it through _Days of Glory_ (1944), made in a similar vein. Apologies for going off-topic here, but I have seen _Soak the Rich_ (1936). Apart from a hilarious 10-minute performance by gravel-voiced Lionel Stander as a Stalin-hating anarchist who kidnaps the heroine, it’s virtually unwatchable, but it does feature a romantic lead who is a red. > **[MOVIE OF THE DAY: "SOAK THE RICH" (1936)](http://theolfisheye.blogspot.com/2018/04/movie-of-day-soak-rich-1936.html)** > > Humphrey Craig finds himself under attack on three fronts. As a multi-millionaire in the Depression, he's known as "the most hated man in Am... ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/23 "2019-01-06T21:36:54Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > Propaganda, yes. _Mission to Moscow_ was made at the behest of FDR after Russia became our ally against the Nazis. I saw it once and found it fascinating. Fascinating as an example of propaganda, yes. Laughable in any other respect, regardless of Roosevelt’s involvement. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/24 "2019-01-06T21:39:20Z")
_ **Comrade X** _ (1940) with Clark Gable and Hedy Lamarr is a fun little romp too. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/25 "2019-01-06T22:25:55Z")
Does _Star Trek_ count? It’s not set during the Cold War, but it was made during it, and they made Chekov one of the bridge crew. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/26 "2019-01-06T22:51:29Z")
The OP mention Fail Safe, the few Soviets in the movie are not portrayed any more negatively than the Americans; mostly, everyone is portrayed as people caught in an unforgiving system. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/27 "2019-01-07T01:57:41Z")
My interpretation of the OP’s post is he’s referring to the Cold War era from the late 50’s to the early 70’s, especially given the movies mentioned. Opinions will differ, but IMHO, I see the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) and the end of the Vietnam Conflict as the beginning of the end of classic Cold War era. I don’t know if this counts since it’s East Germany, but _The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz_ was made in 1968 with some of the _Hogan’s Heroes_ cast reprising their characters with different names. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/28 "2019-01-07T05:26:38Z")
Not American-made but definitely very popular in America. The James Bond film “The Spy Who Loved Me” features the Soviet version of MI6 shown in a highly sympathetic light and portrays both the British and Russian spies on equal footing, distrusting of each other but also highly competent and willing to work together. The ending has the Russians, Americans, and British working together to avert WW3. In addition, the later James Bond film “Octopussy” also shows the Soviets in a positive light, as when a rogue Soviet general attempts to start a war between the the two superpowers Russian secret service again help foil him along with James Bond and the Russians even award James Bond with a medal for his efforts in saving the Soviet Union from disaster. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/29 "2019-01-07T07:00:04Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Not American-made but definitely very popular in America. The James Bond film “The Spy Who Loved Me” features the Soviet version of MI6 shown in a highly sympathetic light and portrays both the British and Russian spies on equal footing, distrusting of each other but also highly competent and willing to work together. The ending has the Russians, Americans, and British working together to avert WW3. In addition, the later James Bond film “Octopussy” also shows the Soviets in a positive light, as when a rogue Soviet general attempts to start a war between the the two superpowers Russian secret service again help foil him along with James Bond and the Russians even award James Bond with a medal for his efforts in saving the Soviet Union from disaster. Good examples, but I’d say the Bond films were Americanized long before Roger Moore’s heyday. Salisbury and Broccoli may have been British, but they were funded by United Artists in New York and Los Angeles, and it showed. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/30 "2019-01-07T15:46:11Z")
The _G. I. Joe_ cartoons also sometimes showed American and Soviet special forces teaming up against COBRA terrorists. But I don’t know if that made it into any of the movies. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/31 "2019-01-07T16:44:39Z")
_[Rocky IV.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_IV)_ > [@](#): > > The two boxers continue their battle over the next dozen rounds, with Rocky managing to continually hold his ground, despite Drago’s valiant efforts. His resilience and persistence rallies the previously hostile Soviet crowd to his side, which unsettles Drago to the point that he picks Koloff up by the throat and throws him off the ring for berating his performance. In the final round, Rocky overcomes Drago with a knockout, to the shock of the Soviet politburo members watching the match. > > Rocky gives a victory speech, acknowledging that the local crowd’s disdain of him had turned to respect during the fight. He compares it to the animosity between the U.S. and the Soviets, and says that seeing him and Drago fight was “better than 20 million”, alluding to a possible war between the U.S. and the Soviets. Rocky finally declares, “If I can change, and you can change, then everybody can change!” The Soviet general secretary stands up and reluctantly applauds Rocky, and his aides follow suit. Rocky ends his speech by wishing his son watching the match on TV a Merry Christmas, and raises his arms into the air in victory as the crowd applauds. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/32 "2019-01-07T17:04:19Z")
_[Jet Pilot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_Pilot_(film))_ and _[The Iron Petticoat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Iron_Petticoat)_ may count, if you liked Janet Leigh and Katherine Hepburn as Soviet fighter pilots. Both are really remakes of _Ninotchka_, but with airplanes, so they’re good. Even though they both had horrible Russian accents. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/33 "2019-01-07T17:39:13Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > In _ **You Only Live Twice** _, Russian cosmonauts and American astronauts help James Bond defeat Blofeld’s attempt to start a war between the US and USSR. And there was another one with the crews of Soviet, American (?), and British submarines uniting. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/34 "2019-01-07T18:03:18Z")
_Ice Station Zebra_? That’s a stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/35 "2019-01-07T18:05:05Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > _Ice Station Zebra_? That’s a stretch. No, not that - it was a Bond movie. The one with an underwater base, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/36 "2019-01-07T18:13:01Z")
[_The Spy Who Loved Me._](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spy_Who_Loved_Me_(film)) ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/37 "2019-01-07T18:22:56Z")
**The Fourth War** came out in 1990 so it was the tail end of the Cold War but I recall that it was somewhat sympathetic to the Russian soldiers in the film. Essentially, an American colonel and his Soviet counterpart start a personal feud – Roy Scheider is the American officer and he spends much of the movie sneaking across the border into Soviet territory to engage in acts of sabotage. Those two were the movie’s antagonists while the other soldiers on both sides seemed reluctant to engage in hostilities. > **[The Fourth War (1990) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099606/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_45)** > > The Fourth War: Directed by John Frankenheimer. With Roy Scheider, Jürgen Prochnow, Tim Reid, Lara Harris. Cold War drama about two gung-ho border commanders (Roy Scheider, Jurgen Prochnow) who carry out their own private war against each other on... ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/38 "2019-01-07T19:10:51Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > No, not that - it was a Bond movie. The one with an underwater base, perhaps? _ **The Spy Who Loved Me** _. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/39 "2019-01-07T19:53:34Z")
2010: Odyssey Two from 1984 assumed that the Cold War was still going on, but the Russians were shown very sympathetically. One, Two, Three from 1961 (starring Jimmy Cagney) was a comedy, but the Russians were shown somewhat sympathetically. I haven’t seen it since 1962, but the Wili summary seems to support my recollection. ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300/40 "2019-01-07T20:24:51Z")
> [@Royal\_Nonesutch](#): > > I remember it made the U.S. military out to be incompetent fools and trigger-happy warmongers, but I can’t remember any foreign forces depicted. If they were trigger-happy, they would have launched a counter-strike. I could argue that it was incompetent (but fortunate) of the general to not launch - although the single missile wasn’t going to knock out second strike capability, so it wasn’t an unreasonable risk for him to take. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cold-war-american-films-showing-soviets-in-a-positive-light/827300.md?page=3)