American Movies About Soviet Union

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn
Rated PG

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a darkly comic 1964 Cold War-era film directed by Stanley Kubrick. The plot follows the accidental launch of a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union by a paranoid and mentally unstable US Air Force general. In response, the Soviet Union prepares a retaliatory strike, while the American President and his advisers desperately attempt to prevent a nuclear holocaust. The film is a satirical take on the dangers of nuclear war and the absurdity of the Cold War mentality. Through a series of bizarre and darkly comedic scenes and characters, Kubrick demonstrates the dangers of unchecked militarism and the potential destruction of mankind by nuclear war. The film is considered a classic of the comedy genre and is ranked among the greatest films ever made.

From Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis
Rated Approved

North by Northwest is a classic Alfred Hitchcock film about advertising executive Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) who is mistaken for a secret agent and then pursued across the country by a group of ruthless spies. Thornhill is forced to go on the run and must enlist the help of a beautiful blonde (Eve Marie Saint) in order to stay one step ahead of his pursuers. From a thrilling crop-dusting sequence to a nail-biting finale atop Mount Rushmore, North by Northwest is a quintessential Hitchcock thriller that continues to thrill and entertain audiences today.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Emily Mortimer, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley
Rated R

Shutter Island is a psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Set in 1954, the story follows U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner, Chuck Aule, as they investigate the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island. As Teddy and Chuck investigate further, they discover unsettling secrets and begin to question their own sanity. As they unravel the mysterious events surrounding the hospital, they come face to face with their own demons and are forced to confront the truth of what is really happening on the island.

From Carol Reed, starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard
Rated Approved

The Third Man is a 1949 classic film directed by Carol Reed and based on the novella of the same name by Graham Greene. It stars Joseph Cotten as Holly Martins, an American writer who arrives in post-WWII Vienna to meet his friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). Upon arrival, Martins discovers that Lime has been killed, and he begins to investigate his death. Along the way, he meets Lime's mysterious girlfriend, Anna Schonberg (Alida Valli) and a British officer, Major Calloway (Trevor Howard). As the investigation progresses, Martins uncovers a criminal conspiracy involving his friend, and he must decide whether to protect him or turn him in. The film features a classic climactic chase in the sewers of Vienna, as well as an iconic zither score. In addition to being a thrilling suspense drama, The Third Man is a commentary on the moral ambiguities of the postwar world. It won the Grand Prize at the 1950 Cannes Film Festival, and it continues to be acclaimed as one of the greatest films of all time.

From Sidney Lumet, starring Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Fritz Weaver, Dan O'Herlihy
Rated Approved

Fail Safe is a 1964 Cold War suspense film directed by Sidney Lumet and starring Henry Fonda, Dan O'Herlihy, Walter Matthau and Frank Overton. The plot follows a nuclear crisis caused by a US Air Force computer error, resulting in the accidental nuclear bombing of Moscow and the Soviet Union's subsequent threat of retaliation. President Henry B. Swain (Fonda) and the US military scramble to find a solution to the crisis, while a single bomber is sent on an irreversible mission to drop a bomb on New York City. The film follows the tension and emotional turmoil as the world teeters on the brink of nuclear disaster. Ultimately, President Swain is able to defuse the situation and avert disaster, but not without sacrifice.

From Billy Wilder, starring James Cagney, Horst Buchholz, Pamela Tiffin, Arlene Francis
Rated Not Rated

One, Two, Three is a 1961 American comedy film directed by Billy Wilder and starring James Cagney. The film is set in West Berlin during the Cold War, and follows the antics of a Coca-Cola executive (Cagney) as he scrambles to keep his rebellious teenage daughter from marrying a communist. Along the way, the executive finds himself in a comical battle of wits with members of the East German government. With its fast-paced dialogue and madcap antics, One, Two, Three is regarded as one of Billy Wilder's most beloved comedies.

From John Frankenheimer, starring Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury
Rated PG-13

The Manchurian Candidate is a 1962 American Cold War-era psychological thriller film directed and produced by John Frankenheimer. The film stars Laurence Harvey, Frank Sinatra and Janet Leigh. It follows the story of a former Korean War soldier, Raymond Shaw, whose mind has been manipulated by Soviet and Chinese agents while he was imprisoned during the war. Shaw is later reintegrated into society as a political pawn of the Communist powers, programmed to assassinate a presidential candidate upon command. The film was a critical and commercial success and was nominated for two Academy Awards. It is widely considered one of the greatest films of all time and is a major influence on modern political thrillers.

From John Frankenheimer, starring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Fredric March, Ava Gardner
Rated Approved

Seven Days in May is a 1964 political thriller directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, and Fredric March. The film follows the events surrounding a plot to overthrow the President of the United States (Lancaster). General James Mattoon Scott (Douglas) is the leader of the military coup, and Colonel Martin "Jiggs" Casey (March) is the one who discovers the plot and works to try and stop it. The film follows the efforts of President Jordan Lyman (Lancaster) to prevent the coup and thwart Scott's plans. As the week progresses, the tension mounts between the President and the General, with Lyman ultimately prevailing in the end. The film offers a warning about the potential for a military coup in the United States, and serves as a reminder of the importance of democracy.

From John McTiernan, starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill
Rated PG

The Hunt for Red October is a 1990 American cold war submarine spy-thriller film directed by John McTiernan and starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, James Earl Jones, and Sam Neill. Based on the 1984 Tom Clancy novel of the same name, the film follows Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius (Connery) as he attempts to defect to the United States with his officers and the revolutionary new Soviet nuclear missile submarine Red October. The American and Soviet governments both send their best men to find and capture Ramius, but the Americans must find him before the Russians do, lest the Russians gain a huge advantage in the ongoing Cold War. With the help of a CIA analyst (Baldwin), the US Navy races to find the Red October and ensure Ramius' defection before it is too late.

From George Clooney, starring David Strathairn, George Clooney, Patricia Clarkson, Jeff Daniels
Rated PG

From Roger Donaldson, starring Kevin Costner, Bruce Greenwood, Shawn Driscoll, Drake Cook
Rated PG-13

From Stanley Kramer, starring Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire, Anthony Perkins
Rated Approved

From Roger Donaldson, starring Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman, Sean Young, Will Patton
Rated R

From Phillip Noyce, starring Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, Thi Hai Yen Do, Rade Serbedzija
Rated R

From Billy Ray, starring Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Dennis Haysbert, Laura Linney
Rated PG-13

From Christian Carion, starring Guillaume Canet, Emir Kusturica, Alexandra Maria Lara, Ingeborga Dapkunaite
Rated Not Rated

From Norman Jewison, starring Carl Reiner, Eva Marie Saint, Alan Arkin, Brian Keith
Rated Unrated

From Clint Eastwood, starring Clint Eastwood, Marsha Mason, Everett McGill, Moses Gunn
Rated R

From Robert De Niro, starring Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Robert De Niro, Alec Baldwin
Rated R

From Joseph Losey, starring Macdonald Carey, Shirley Anne Field, Viveca Lindfors, Alexander Knox
Rated Approved

From Alfred Hitchcock, starring Paul Newman, Julie Andrews, Lila Kedrova, Hansjörg Felmy
Rated PG

From Andrew Davis, starring Gene Hackman, Tommy Lee Jones, Joanna Cassidy, John Heard
Rated R

From John Landis, starring Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Mark Stewart, Sean Daniel
Rated PG

From Marshall Brickman, starring John Lithgow, Christopher Collet, Richard Council, Robert Schenkkan
Rated PG-13