This article examines how American and Soviet/Russian cinematography presented a 'scientist' during the Cold War and in the works about that period. The article presents a comparative analysis of the films from both countries that focus on a 'scientist'. The analysis demonstrates that scientists/scholars have been depicted as both subjects and objects of ideological and political confrontation of the Cold War period. While American cinematography focused on the image of a 'mad scientist,' in the Soviet cinematography scientist is more of an intellectual. Some American films used the grotesque 'mad scientist' (e.g. Dr. Strangelove) to highlight the ultimate danger of nuclear catastrophe, and Soviet films used intellectual scientist conversations (e.g. Dr. Gusev) for the same purpose of warning about the dangers of a nuclear age). We trace gradual growing similarities of the cinematography of both countries: scientist becomes to be presented in a less confrontational way as both countries become aware that scientific cooperation is vital for the prevention of the world nuclear war and global conflict.