{"id":88479,"date":"2022-11-26T00:31:01","date_gmt":"2022-11-26T07:31:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=88479"},"modified":"2022-11-26T10:45:57","modified_gmt":"2022-11-26T17:45:57","slug":"ugly-american-the-1963","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=88479","title":{"rendered":"Ugly American, The (1963)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;You always make dictators strong, then wonder why you are not loved!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Poster-196x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"196\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-88480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Poster-196x300.png 196w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Poster-84x128.png 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Poster-176x270.png 176w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Poster.png 623w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 196px) 100vw, 196px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAn American ambassador (Marlon Brando) in the troubled southeast Asian nation of Sarkhan is surprised to learn that his former war buddy (Eiji Okada) is now a Communist, though Okada professes he is simply longing for national self-determination on behalf of his people.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cold War<\/li>\n<li>Marlon Brando Films<\/li>\n<li>Pat Hingle Films<\/li>\n<li>Political Corruption<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nThis unusual entry in Marlon Brando&#8217;s oeuvre &#8212; directed by his friend George Englund &#8212; is loosely based on a 1958 <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Ugly_American\">political novel of the same name<\/a> by Eugene Burdick and William Lederer, about &#8220;the failures of the U.S. diplomatic corps in Southeast Asia.&#8221; Indeed, the fictional country where this film takes place (shot largely in Thailand) is a thinly veiled depiction of Vietnam, and the tale aptly showcases the complexity of politics in such a nation, which is far from as black-and-white (i.e., Communism vs. Democracy) as Ambassador MacWhite (Brando) naively believes. Some of the initial sequences are quite effectively done &#8212; as when an American foreman overseeing construction of &#8220;Freedom Road&#8221; is murdered while giving a patronizing lesson to a local about the difference between a wrench and a &#8220;lench&#8221;: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Wrench.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Wrench.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"460\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88484\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Wrench.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Wrench-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Wrench-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Wrench-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Wrench-501x270.png 501w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a> <\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and the scene when Brando&#8217;s arriving car at the airport is seriously mobbed by a crowd of violent anti-American agitators. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Flag.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Flag.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"460\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88485\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Flag.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Flag-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Flag-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Flag-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Flag-501x270.png 501w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a> <\/p>\n<p>Brando&#8217;s friendly reunion with an old war buddy (Okada) is less convincing, and quickly turns melodramatically sour, as we get to the gist of the narrative: Brando becomes convinced Okada has &#8220;turned Commie&#8221;, while Okada tries to explain that the construction of Freedom Road simply represents additional power for the prime minister, Kwen Sai (Kukrit Pramoj), courtesy of &#8220;the tanks that Wall Street sells.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Okada2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Okada2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"460\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88488\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Okada2.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Okada2-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Okada2-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Okada2-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Okada2-501x270.png 501w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nMeanwhile, we see do-gooding Americans like Pat Hingle&#8217;s Homer Atkins and his wife Emma (Jocelyn Brando) attempting to bring Western medical practices to the poverty-ridden nation: <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Hingle-Brando.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Hingle-Brando.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"460\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88487\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Hingle-Brando.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Hingle-Brando-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Hingle-Brando-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Hingle-Brando-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Hingle-Brando-501x270.png 501w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8230; and Brando&#8217;s loyal wife (Sandra Church) ready and willing to provide him whatever support he needs. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Church.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Church.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"460\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88489\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Church.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Church-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Church-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Church-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Church-501x270.png 501w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s952ugly.html\">DVD Savant<\/a> describes this Universal Studios-produced film as &#8220;a noble stab at reality&#8221;, and that just about sums it up. It&#8217;s not must-see viewing but will likely be of interest to Brando fans.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Marlon Brando as Ambassador MacWhite<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Brando.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Brando.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"460\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88481\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Brando.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Brando-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Brando-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Brando-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Brando-501x270.png 501w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The impressively filmed riot sequence<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Riot.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Riot.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"853\" height=\"460\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-88483\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Riot.png 853w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Riot-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Riot-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Riot-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Ugly-American-Riot-501x270.png 501w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 853px) 100vw, 853px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though Brando fans will likely want to check it out.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0056632\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.seattlepi.com\/ae\/movies\/article\/Long-overlooked-The-Ugly-American-is-in-film-1115451.php\">Seattle PI Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tvguide.com\/movies\/the-ugly-american\/review\/2000093088\/\">TV Guide Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s952ugly.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;You always make dictators strong, then wonder why you are not loved!&#8221; Synopsis: An American ambassador (Marlon Brando) in the troubled southeast Asian nation of Sarkhan is surprised to learn that his former war buddy (Eiji Okada) is now a Communist, though Okada professes he is simply longing for national self-determination on behalf of his people. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Cold War Marlon Brando Films Pat Hingle Films Political Corruption Review: This unusual entry in Marlon Brando&#8217;s oeuvre &#8212;&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=88479\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-88479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88479","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=88479"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88479\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":88499,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88479\/revisions\/88499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=88479"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=88479"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=88479"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}