The History of America and Russia's Cinematic Cold War | Features

"Red Heat," Walter Hill's 1988 comedy pairs Jim Belushi's Chicago cop with a soviet police officer, Captain Ivan Danko, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. The films offers similar characterization of the Soviet captain, with an added layer of tenderness and friendship that grows between the two men. Throughout the film Schwarzenegger expresses a singular and cold hearted pursuit of his mission. At one point in the final battle scene, Belushi says, “I give up, this whole thing is very Russian,” stepping aside to let his friend finish off the Georgian bad guy. At the end of the film the two watch baseball on TV while waiting for the plane to take Schwarzenegger back to Moscow. Schwarzenegger says, “I do not understand this sport.” “You're not supposed to, it's totally American,” Belushi replies, “You should stick to things that you're good at. You know, like knee dancing, training those cute little bears for the circus.” Schwarzenegger looks almost hurt, “We play baseball now in the Soviet Union.” Belushi is incredulous, “Give me a break, will ya? You haven't got a shot. This is our national past time. Forget it.” After a long pause, he muses, “It would be a helluva World Series though, wouldn't it?” Schwarzenegger looks off into the distance, “We will win,” he says with total confidence. Belushi gives him an uncomfortable sideways glance that says he believes him too before changing the subject.

Many films of the late 1980s, like "Red Heat" or John Landis' "Spies Like Us," had a recurring theme of friendship between Russians and their American counterparts. Camaraderie (or romance) develops in spite of the larger political climate. After the dissolution of the USSR however, Hollywood quickly resumed perpetuating its familiar trope of Russian bad guys. Soviet soldiers became gangsters and disgruntled ex-KGB officers, the characterization and ultimate mission stayed largely the same, only their function in society had transformed. In "Air Force One" (1997), the Vice President played by Glenn Close, asks Gary Oldman's Russian hijacker what he wants, “When Mother Russia become one great nation again, when the capitalists are dragged out of the Kremlin and shot in the streets, when our enemies run and hide in fear at the mention of our names and the America begs our forgiveness- on that great day of deliverance, you will know what I want.” Though the Cold War was supposedly over, Russian film characters were still fighting an ideological battle long after America thought it had already won. In Phillip Noyce's Angelina Jolie vehicle "Salt" (2010), the plot revolves around Russian sleeper agents ready to overthrow the American government. The popular TV show, "The Americans" (2013-present), takes place in the 1980s, but also centers around Soviet spies who “pass” as real Americans while they work for Mother Russia. Just as films from the Soviet Union revealed deep truths about American society, we are learning now that some of these popular Hollywood plotlines also reflect truths about Russia worth bearing in our new political climate: they play the long game and are in it to win. 

To see Emma Piper-Burket's Fandor playlist of some of these films and more, click here. 

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