The Americanization of Emily
James Garner said that this was his favorite of his movies.,William Windom is incorrectly credited as Capt. Harry Spaulding, but he wears the insignia of a Lt. Cmdr.,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, paw at your women, and act like we own the world. We overtip, we talk too loud, we think we can buy anything with a Hershey bar. I've had Germans and Italians tell me how politically ingenuous we are, and perhaps so. But we haven't managed a Hitler or a Mussolini yet. I've had Frenchmen call me a savage because I only took half an hour for lunch. Hell, Ms. Barham, the only reason the French take two hours for lunch is because the service in their restaurants is lousy. The most tedious lot are you British. We crass Americans didn't introduce war into your little island. This war, Ms. Barham to which we Americans are so insensitive, is the result of 2,000 years of European greed, barbarism, superstition, and stupidity. Don't blame it on our Coca-Cola bottles. Europe was a going brothel long before we came to town.,The three women that James Coburn sleeps with are collectively credited as "The Three Nameless Broads (in order of appearance)".,Featured in MGM Is on the Move! (1964),Emily
Music composed by Johnny Mandel
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer,I first saw this movie in 1964 at the Air Force base where I was stationed. At the time I thought it was an odd choice to show on base, but in those days, I guess the military wasn't so sensitive that they had to censor the films shown on base. The movie practically disappeared for 40 years, and I was pleased to see that it is now released on DVD. I watched the DVD this weekend and was happy to find that the film still seemed fresh and had aged very well.

Watching this movie reminds one of why James Garner and Julie Andrews became stars. They are both extremely likable and have good chemistry together. Garner's character, Charlie Madison, is just a rift on his Maverick TV personae, but is well suited to the character. Andrews, in a non-singing role, is luminescent. She plays a British war widow the way all Americans think of British women. It is a classic portrayal. The star of this film though, is the script by Paddy Chayefsky. Snappy, witty dialog and that strong dose of black humor amply illustrate why Chayefsky should be considered on of the finest script writers of all time. This is equal to his work in Network.

The DVD extras are sparse. There is a 6 minute 1964 MGM featurette on the filming of the Omaha Beach scene. It is only notable by comparison of Mr Garner's treatment during filming to how today's over-indulged, ego-inflated, and under-whelming movie stars are treated. Recommended.,