The Americanization of Emily

There can be no Paddy Chayefsky without comedy, nor can there be without drama. His work is always serious, channeled with humor, but his presentation is so on-point, so honest, so blatant, that as viewers we are forced to soak it all up, and we are left the better for it.

Set in wartime, the Americanization of Emily looks at changing times in a very changing world. The ‘balloon will go up' any day now, signaling the Invasion of Europe and all around will be forever changed.

It is not solely the warriors, the decision makers, that are central to the battle. Chayefsky knows that, and shows us that war will change all it touches, from the simple Emily (Julie Andrews), a kind, intelligent, sensitive single English woman to the devil-may-care ‘scrounger', Lt Cmdr Charles Madison (James Garner-somewhat a reprise of his role in The Great Escape).

This movie is a romance, and a serious examination of people over-matched by forces outside their control, who struggle to do everything in their control to find their way.

A well-told story, skillfully delivered. It's hard to ask for much more than that.

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.

This excellent film combines humor and drama in ways I've never seen before. Far from heavyhanded in either department, its notable trait is a kind of circular irony that runs through the film, becoming even more profound in the film's final scenes. Garner plays a man whose ideal is cowardice and self-service. Face dfinally with having to become and official "hero" and wanting no part of it, he has to realize that to be true to himself he has to play this role -- the nobility of any grand gesture of honesty in his cowardice would be too utside of his character! Andrews is magnificent and more sexy than usual as Emily, a girl afraid to have any man who's not a coward! No sentimentality, just good old dark irony. Very well written. Good film!

Unlike most WWII movies of this era, this movie wasn't afraid to take a dark but witty look at military establishment.

James Coburn character takes seriously a delusional Admiral (the great Melvin Douglas) who conceives of a "Tomb of the Unknown Sailor" Coburn assigns a devoutly un-heroic James Garner to storm Normandy Beach to film and retrieve the body of the first sailor killed on D-Day. In an unforgettable scene, a very intoxicated Keenan Wynne is assigned to the project and responds by saying "I may be drunk, but I'm not THAT drunk!".

The writing and dialog are some of the most intelligent and clever that you will ever see in a movie. Near the end of the movie, Julie Andrew gives a brilliant speach that takes Garner's anti-heroic philosophy and spins it back to him in a clever and unexpected way.

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.