Yanks (1979)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writers:

Colin Welland (story)
Colin Welland (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

September 1979 (UK)

Genre:

Romance | Drama | War

Tagline:

Love during wartime.

Plot:

During WWII, the United States set up army bases in Great Britain as part of the war effort. Against their proper sensibilities...

Plot Keywords:

WWII | Prejudice | Male Nudity | Jitterbug | Racism

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Richard Gere	...	Matt Dyson
Lisa Eichhorn	...	Jean Moreton
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Helen
William Devane	...	John
Chick Vennera	...	Danny Ruffelo
Wendy Morgan	...	Mollie
Rachel Roberts	...	Mrs. Clarrie Moreton
Tony Melody	...	Mr. Jim Moreton
Martin Smith	...	Geoff
Philip Whileman	...	Billy
Derek Thompson	...	Ken
Simon Harrison	...	Tim
Joan Hickson	...	Mrs. Moody
Arlen Dean Snyder	...	Henry
Annie Ross	...	Red Cross lady

Also Known As:

Yanks - Gestern waren wir noch Fremde (West Germany)

Runtime:

138 min | UK:165 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA | West Germany | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | France:U | UK:15 | Netherlands:6 (2008) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Grand Hotel, Llandudno, Conwy, Wales, UK

Company:

CIP Filmproduktion GmbH

Trivia:

John Schlesinger originally delivered the film at a length of around 165 minutes. He was forced to cut the film by approximately 25 minutes before the film's premiere engagement. The film stayed at this length and the 165-minute director's cut has never been seen. Among the victims of the cuts was Bill Nighy, whose character Tom was deleted.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Helen plays the slot machine in the Officer's Club, in Ireland, there are some "Roosevelt dimes" in her payout. The scene is 1943-44, and the first Roosevelt dime wasn't minted until after the war, in 1946.

Quotes:

Danny: [naked in an uncovered exterior shower, watching the Red Cross trucks pass] That's the Red Cross...they only do it for officers.
Matt: If you don't put your uniform on, they'll never tell the difference.

Movie Connections:

References Song of the Islands (1942)

Soundtrack:

I'll Be Seeing You

Reviewers Aren't Watching It from My Perspective

One great mystery to me is: How different are we from our English cousins? This one helped dissipate the mystery, as it explored the relationships between the officers and enlisted men from the USA, training to invade the mainland in England, circa 1943-44...and the English folks of a rural town.

A line I thought my own was expressed in the beginning: At Heathrow, I was accosted by an old distinguished guy, "I say, young lass, you must be a Yank." "No sir, I'm a southerner." Same was said to a Limey by a sergeant from La.: "And don't call me a Yank. I'm from Monroe, La." Who would have thought we'd be resented (other than for our tardiness in getting into yet another 'war to end all wars'.)? The English respect for tradition was highlighted, as well as their reserve. As that Brit replied to me when I mentioned how polite the Londoners were: "Wish we were more like you: we just sit and suffer in these stifling hot (tube) cars. You would first try to open it, then you would ask the driver to open the window, and if he didn't, you'd throw a brick through it."

Yes, there's that as well as our barbaric treatment of black soldiers, highlighted beautifully by the English ladies hitting the dance floor with the dispirited soldiers after a horrible scene caused by rednecks ganging up on a black soldier. He had the audacity to dance with a white woman.....jitterbugging, at that. Wonder what would have happened if they'd been slow-dancing!!!

I loved the English scenery. The destroyer/cruiser appearing in front of a flock of sheep was startling (coming up a river).

One weakness: the makeup guys ought to make up a dying woman's ENTIRE head and neck, not just the face, with that white stuff. Certainly detracted from the credibility.

Richard Gere was his darling self, and they carefully made this sergeant-cook NOT an intellectual. He was just an ordinary GI Joe, as was his buddy, the horny sweet eye-talian-American. Yet both the Kennedy look-alike captain and the grunts fell into the same anatomy-created trap: they fell in love with the local English women. I finally understand why there are so many English brides from that era over here.

Vanessa Redgrave....does she just like going around nekkid? Had just seen her in 'Steaming', so this was more of the same but the nuances of her acting are non-paralleled. I frankly enjoyed the whole movie, as it so interestingly demonstrated a part of that war I knew nothing of.....the interaction of the Brits with the Yanks!!!