The Americanization of Emily (1964)

Director:

Arthur Hiller

Writers:

Paddy Chayefsky (screenplay)
William Bradford Huie (novel)

Release Date:

27 October 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | War

Tagline:

Why did Emily call Charlie the most immoral man she'd ever met?

Plot:

An American soldier's talent for living the good life in wartime is challenged when he falls in love and is sent on a dangerous mission.

Plot Keywords:

D Day | Beautiful Woman | Monument | Americanization | Cowardice

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

James Garner	...	Lt. Cmdr. Charles Edward Madison
Julie Andrews	...	Emily Barham
Melvyn Douglas	...	Adm. William Jessup
James Coburn	...	Lt. Cmdr. Paul 'Bus' Cummings
Joyce Grenfell	...	Mrs. Barham
Edward Binns	...	Adm. Thomas Healy
Liz Fraser	...	Sheila
Keenan Wynn	...	Old Sailor
William Windom	...	Capt. Harry Spaulding
John Crawford	...	Chief Petty Officer Paul Adams
Douglas Henderson	...	Capt. Marvin Ellender
Edmon Ryan	...	Adm. Hoyle
Steve Franken	...	Young Sailor
Paul Newlan	...	Gen. William Hallerton
Gary Cockrell	...	Lt. Victor Wade
Alan Sues	...	Petty Officer Enright
Bill Fraser	...	Port Commander
Lou Byrne	...	Nurse Captain
Alan Howard	...	Port Ensign
Linda Marlowe	...	Pat
Janine Gray	...	1st 'Nameless Broad'
Judy Carne	...	2nd 'Nameless Broad'
Kathy Kersh	...	3rd 'Nameless Broad'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Larry Billman	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Paul Genge	...	Officer (uncredited)
Bob Johnson	...	Documentary narration (uncredited)
Kent McCord	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Jack Raine	...	Hotel Waiter (uncredited)
Sharon Tate	...	Beautiful girl (uncredited)
Red West	...	Soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Arthur Hiller

Writing credits
Paddy Chayefsky		(screenplay)
William Bradford Huie		(novel)

Produced by
John Calley	....	associate producer
Martin Ransohoff	....	producer

Original Music by
Johnny Mandel

Cinematography by
Philip H. Lathrop		(as Philip Lathrop)

Film Editing by
Tom McAdoo

Casting by
Irene Howard		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
George W. Davis
Hans Peters
Elliot Scott

Set Decoration by
Robert R. Benton
Henry Grace

Costume Design by
Bill Thomas

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Al Shenberg	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Franklin Milton	....	recording supervisor
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
J. McMillan Johnson	....	special visual effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Christopher Challis	....	additional photographer (as Chris Challis)
Travers Hill	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department
Robert Armbruster	....	conductor
Alexander Courage	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Alain Delalande	....	subtitles: original version with French subtitles

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents)
• Filmways Pictures

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• Filmipaja (1965) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1966) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1969) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (????) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Swashbuckler Films (2008) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Turner Network Television (TNT) (????) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Titra Film Paris  subtitles: French version

Also Known As:

Emily (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) | Stereo

Certification:

UK:X | Australia:G (TV rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #20611) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Spain:13 | West Germany:16 | Finland:K-7 (new rating: 2001) | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:11 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Although the DVD cover states that film historian Drew Casper does the audio commentary, it's actually Arthur Hiller. He speaks very fondly of the making of the movie.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The airplane that takes the Admiral back home bears a USAF roundel (i.e., red strip inside the "wings") three years before there was a "USAF".

Quotes:

Lt. Cmdr. Charles E. Madison: You American haters bore me to tears, Ms. Barham. I've dealt with Europeans all my life. I know all about us parvenus from the States who come over here and race around your old Cathedral towns with our cameras and Coca-cola bottles... Brawl in your pubs...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "WKRP in Cincinnati: The Americanization of Ivan (#2.17)" (1980)

Soundtrack:

Emily

Intelligent, poignant satire on the the meaning of heroism

Simply put, this is one of my all-time favorite movies. I can't possibly agree with the individual who wrote this was possibly James Garner's worst movie. The exact opposite is true. The character of Charlie is callous, and self-serving, but he has a dedication to the admiral that is logical and touching. It is the admiral, after all, who saved Charlie from the realities of war.

Listen to Charlie's speech about how he got there. He started off by going to war with all the ideals of any other Marine, but in the teeth of war he realized he wasn't the man he thought he was and "the glory" certainly wasn't worth it. Charlie is a coward, but not a deserter. He has priorities, which he lists to Emily.

Garner does a fine job in communicating the role of an outwardly selfish and uncaring man struggling hard to suppress his principles.

Julie Andrews' Emily is just the person to bring those principles out. And James Coburn is outstanding as the one person who actually takes the admiral's plan for a sailor to be the first casualty on Omaha Beach seriously.

Very good acting by all. Fine comic performances in a film that is easily overlooked by today's audiences because it isn't the type of humor that hits you over the head with a baseball bat to make its point. Instead, it uses characterization and intelligence.

How sad we are that we are no longer required to think about movies, since so many of them have no thought behind them other than making money.

"The Americanization of Emily" is definitely worth a look if you like smart, intelligent characters with something to say.