The Americanization of Emily (1964)

Director:

Arthur Hiller

Writers:

Paddy Chayefsky (screenplay)
William Bradford Huie (novel)

Release Date:

27 October 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | War

Tagline:

Why did Emily call Charlie the most immoral man she'd ever met?

Plot:

An American naval officer's talent for living the good life in wartime is challenged when he falls in love and is sent on a dangerous mission.

Plot Keywords:

D Day | Monument | Widow | Newspaper Headline | Americanization

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

James Garner	...	Lt. Cmdr. Charles Edward Madison
Julie Andrews	...	Emily Barham
Melvyn Douglas	...	Adm. William Jessup
James Coburn	...	Lt. Cmdr. Paul 'Bus' Cummings
Joyce Grenfell	...	Mrs. Barham
Edward Binns	...	Adm. Thomas Healy
Liz Fraser	...	Sheila
Keenan Wynn	...	Old Sailor
William Windom	...	Capt. Harry Spaulding
John Crawford	...	Chief Petty Officer Paul Adams
Douglas Henderson	...	Capt. Marvin Ellender
Edmon Ryan	...	Adm. Hoyle
Steve Franken	...	Young Sailor
Paul Newlan	...	Gen. William Hallerton
Gary Cockrell	...	Lt. Victor Wade
Alan Sues	...	Petty Officer Enright
Bill Fraser	...	Port Commander
Lou Byrne	...	Nurse Captain
Alan Howard	...	Port Ensign
Linda Marlowe	...	Pat
Janine Gray	...	1st 'Nameless Broad'
Judy Carne	...	2nd 'Nameless Broad'
Kathy Kersh	...	3rd 'Nameless Broad'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Larry Billman	...	Sailor (uncredited)
Paul Genge	...	Officer (uncredited)
Jim Jacobs	...	Navy Aircrewman (uncredited)
Bob Johnson	...	Documentary Narration (voice) (uncredited)
Kent McCord	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Jack Raine	...	Hotel Waiter (uncredited)
Sharon Tate	...	Beautiful Girl (uncredited)
Red West	...	Soldier (uncredited)

Directed by
Arthur Hiller

Writing credits
Paddy Chayefsky		(screenplay)
William Bradford Huie		(novel)

Produced by
John Calley	....	associate producer
Martin Ransohoff	....	producer

Original Music by
Johnny Mandel

Cinematography by
Philip H. Lathrop		(as Philip Lathrop)

Film Editing by
Tom McAdoo

Casting by
Irene Howard		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
George W. Davis
Hans Peters
Elliot Scott

Set Decoration by
Robert R. Benton
Henry Grace

Costume Design by
Bill Thomas

Makeup Department
Sydney Guilaroff	....	hair stylist
William Tuttle	....	makeup supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Al Shenberg	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Franklin Milton	....	recording supervisor
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
J. McMillan Johnson	....	special visual effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Christopher Challis	....	additional photographer (as Chris Challis)
Travers Hill	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department
Robert Armbruster	....	conductor
Alexander Courage	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Alain Delalande	....	subtitles: original version with French subtitles

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (presents)
• Filmways Pictures

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• Filmipaja (1965) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1966) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1969) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (196?) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Swashbuckler Films (2008) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Turner Network Television (TNT) (????) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Titra Film Paris  subtitles: French version

Also Known As:

"Emily" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) | Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-8 | Sweden:11 | Australia:PG | UK:X | Australia:G (TV rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #20611) | Canada:PG (video rating) | Spain:13 | West Germany:16 | Finland:K-7 (new rating: 2001)

Filming Locations:

Dukes Avenue, Muswell Hill, London, England, UK

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Although the DVD cover states that film historian Drew Casper does the audio commentary, it's actually Arthur Hiller. He speaks very fondly of the making of the movie.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The airplane that takes the Admiral back home bears a USAF roundel (i.e., red strip inside the "wings") three years before there was a "USAF".

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lt. Cmdr. Charles E. Madison:Hi, Harry. It'll only be a few moments, sir. Put that hand luggage in the automobile. Paul? Paul!
Chief Petty Officer Paul Adams:Yeah.
Lt. Cmdr. Charles E. Madison:Put the footlocker in the jeep. Everything else goes in the two-and-a-half. Unloading shouldn't take long, so you won't be more than a few minutes behind us. I'll see you back at the hotel. Harry. Is everything set at the hotel?
[Slaps driver on butt]
Female driver, unidentified:Hiya, Charlie.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "I Dream of Jeannie: The Americanization of Jeannie (#1.8)" (1965)

Soundtrack:

Emily

An Absolute Classic

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.