Füge eine Handlung in deiner Sprache hinzuAn ambitious American scholar becomes the ambassador to Sarkan, a southeast Asian country where civil war is brewing.An ambitious American scholar becomes the ambassador to Sarkan, a southeast Asian country where civil war is brewing.An ambitious American scholar becomes the ambassador to Sarkan, a southeast Asian country where civil war is brewing.
- Auszeichnungen
- 1 Gewinn & 3 Nominierungen insgesamt
- Late Arrival at Meeting
- (as John Day)
Handlung
WUSSTEST DU SCHON:
- WissenswertesOne key role, that of the Sarkhanese Prime Minister, was filled quite capably by a non-professional, Kukrit Pramoj, a prominent Thai newspaper publisher, former Thai Finance Minister, and, as fate would have it, future Prime Minister (1975-76). Speaking in Bangkok the day after its world premiere, the film's star, Marlon Brando, brought forth gasps by labeling his precocious co-star a "dissembler, liar and thief." Before shock could turn to indignation, Brando, straight face intact, quickly broke the stunned silence. "Mr. Kukrit told me he couldn't act, and then proceeded to prove he could act and, in fact, acted me off the screen. He stole the whole show."
- PatzerAs it is landing, the TWA plane is a Convair 880. When it arrives at the gate for deplaning, it has turned into a Boeing 707.
- Zitate
Ambassador Harrison Carter MacWhite: I'd like to interrupt, eh, gentlemen, to point out that the only thing that is clear so far is that there's no clarity at all. So if you don't mind, we'll stop this squabbling and I'll present you with some facts. About three hours ago, there were several people trampled to death, a policeman was pistol-whipped until his face looked like raspberry jam, and the man who represents the person of the president of United States was almost killed, along with his wife, and other members of his party. Now I- I don't mind telling you that I was afraid out there this afternoon, but I didn't know what fear was until this meeting got started. You gentlemen have given me something to think about. Now, here's something for you. Confusion, ignorance, and indifference will cease as of this moment. Information about everything that happens in Sarkhan will kept up to date and that's seven days a week. That's seven days a week gentleman! And Sundays included, and I don't give a damn where you live! And the next time that there are six thousand people that begin a riot, or six people, without this embassy being aware of it, those responsible will be on the first plane out of here with my personal recommendation that they be dropped from the foreign service!
- VerbindungenFeatured in Brando (2007)
- SoundtracksAmerica the Beautiful
(uncredited)
Music by Samuel A. Ward and lyrics by Katharine Lee Bates
Heard when the Ambassador arrives and over the closing credits
What makes it a bit different from Vietnam where we were getting drawn in bit by bit is that Sarkan also has a charismatic leader who retired DeGaulle like after Sarkan won its independence from Japanese occupation. He's the key to solving the country's problems for better or worse.
Because of a past relationship with Eiji Okada who plays the Sarkanese DeGaulle, Marlon Brando has been appointed ambassador to Sarkan. Back during World War II Brando and Okada worked well together doing damage to the Japanese occupiers.
Problem now is that the Sarkanese see the Americans as occupiers and the Communists are exploiting the situation to the fullest. A road called Freedom Road that the USA is constructing has become a flash-point of resentment.
It all ends as badly here as it did for America in Vietnam though I certainly won't go into details. Brando delineates a very good interpretation of a Cold Warrior diplomat. We and the Russians fought for global primacy with competing ideologies for over 40 years. Neither superpower was particularly cognizant of the wishes of the countries that blood was spilled over.
Eiji Okada was a major star in Japanese cinema and this was his only English language film. He's an impassioned Sarkanese patriot who's exploited by some evil forces and only realizes it too late.
Smartest guy in the room and in the film is Pat Hingle who is the boss constructing the road. His wife played by Jocelyn Brando runs a hospital for the natives and is beloved. He offers the only real solution to winning the hearts and minds of the Sarkanese. Build a hospital somewhere where you want your bloody road to run and the Sarkanese will fall all over themselves building a road themselves to it. Too bad no one listens.
Brando and Okada make a fine pair of former friends and now dueling adversaries. Hopefully one day we might get an administration who is more concerned with winning hearts and minds all over the world. We might even realize some cheap oil in the bargain.
The Ugly American is still a fine film with some lessons for today's diplomats and military men.
- bkoganbing
- 6. Mai 2008
- Permalink
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Details
- Erscheinungsdatum
- Herkunftsland
- Sprache
- Auch bekannt als
- The Ugly American
- Drehorte
- Bangkok, Thailand(Chulalongkorn University)
- Produktionsfirma
- Weitere beteiligte Unternehmen bei IMDbPro anzeigen
- Laufzeit1 Stunde 55 Minuten
- Farbe
- Seitenverhältnis
- 1.85 : 1