Yanquis

That's what the local British people thought of the American troops stationed in the North of England during War World II: They are over paid, over sexed and over here. Divided by a common language and a very different view of the world. John Schlesinger is a director I adore - Midnight Cowboy, Darling, Sunday Bloody Sunday, just to mention three titles. The actors in a Schlesinger film, from Alan Bates to Dustin Hoffman to Peter Finch are at their best but never as compellingly than Richard Gere in Yanks. A performance of such beauty that one wonders why we haven't seen more of this Richard Gere. Enthralling, romantic and truthful, profoundly so. Lisa Eichhorn is also a stand out. Her English rose (Lisa Eichhorn is an American) is a throwback to the best English actresses of the 1940's. Vanessa Redgrave and Rachel Roberts also provide a unique glimpse into the Britishness of the story. Loved it, loved it, loved it.

My children were just babies when I saw this movie at the theater in 1979. I really loved it and have all these years. I guess the romance and the finality of goodbyes, not knowing what could happen made it all the more intense. The racism scene was hard to watch, very hard. I am sure things like that went on though. It is a treasure in my huge movie collection. I hope someday to visit England and be able to see some of the towns that were in this movie.Richard Gere is a wonderful Actor and this was the very first time I had heard about him or had ever seen him in a movie.He brought a realism to this part, he was a perfect guy to play an American soldier! Talking about it has made me want to look at it tonight!!

This movie presented the American actress Lisa Eichhorn to the world - and if for only that, we can be so terribly grateful to John Schlesinger. (I'm grateful to him for other reasons too: for Darling, for A Kind of Loving, for Far From the Madding Crowd, for Midnight Cowboy and many others).

Eichhorn's beauty, sensitivity, intelligence, warmth, reserve mixed with eager longing, her very movement, beguile and entrance. She is truly remarkable - and this performance (as well as those in The Europeans, King of the Hill and Cutter's Way) deserved an Oscar. I would certainly place her with Meryl Streep, Glen Close, Jessica Lange, Ellen Burstyn, Anne Bancroft, Blair Brown and Sissy Spacek in the top echelon of American actresses.

There seem to be worlds of emotion, of thought, of native refinement and wild longing within this girl as she struggles with her conscience, with her family, about her English fiance, and with her insecurity about her American romance. There is nothing in entertainment I would like as much as to see more of Lisa Eichhorn (wonderful in everything from screen to stage to television) - she's very special.

I think this movie one of the most romantic ever made - not the muted Devane-Redgrave romance - nor the unfortunately clicheed working class pair - but the most highlighted involving Gere and Eichhorn. It sweeps one completely off one's feet.

Apart from the romance, the movie is quite good in showing both Britain at home (some of the feeling of Hope and Glory) and in interaction with the Americans. It could just be me, but aren't the Americans exaggerating their accents slightly to show the difference? Perhaps Gere and Devane just sound more American in contrast.

This is a lovely memorable movie - well shot, wonderfully acted, with an ending that leaves one in tears. Do see it.

The film works for me because it concentrates on the three relationships and lets the war get on with itself. It was written from a British viewpoint and reflects the experiences of many people in war-torn Britain who came in to contact with American servicemen. The impact of the arrival of so many hearty, healthy and relatively wealthy young men was massive. The film struck a chord with many people in the UK, both of my parent's generation - who lived through the war, and my generation - who had heard all about it. The fact that the film was set in the north of England accentuated the gulf which existed in our common language. Many a GI must have been baffled by our slang. The three relationships in the film worked quite well because each one was different. How many times must these events have happened for real? The film isn't as good as THE WAY TO THE STARS of 1945, but it did recreate the war-time atmosphere quite well and evokes a period of history which is still vivid in the minds of many who lived near US bases in the UK in WW2.

Was sad to see the passing of Tony Melody this summer. He was such a good yet under sung character actor. His performance in Yanks was excellent and the mischievous smile he cracked when he said there would be 'no danger' of the bottle of whisky remaining unopened was brilliant as oppose to his wife's refusal to eat the cake that Geres character had prepared.

I wonder if the picture of his character he showed Gere when he was talking about his war service was actually his real father as he had served in the Guards during the first world war - just a thought.

Lisa Eichorn had me fooled for many a year - that Lancashire accent is spot on.