An ambitious scholar becomes the ambassador of Sarkan, a southeast Asian country where civil war is brewing.
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Title: The Ugly American (1963)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Marlon Brando | ... | Ambassador Harrison Carter MacWhite | |
| Eiji Okada | ... | Deong | |
| Sandra Church | ... | Marion MacWhite | |
| Pat Hingle | ... | Homer Atkins | |
| Arthur Hill | ... | Grainger | |
| Jocelyn Brando | ... | Emma Atkins | |
 |
Kukrit Pramoj | ... | Prime Minister Kwen Sai |
| Judson Pratt | ... | Joe Bing | |
| Reiko Sato | ... | Rachani, Deong's Wife | |
|
|
George Shibata | ... | Munsang |
|
|
Judson Laire | ... | Senator Brenner |
| Philip Ober | ... | Ambassador Sears | |
|
|
Yee Tak Yip | ... | Sawad, Deong's Assistant |
| Carl Benton Reid | ... | Senator at Confirmation Hearing | |
|
|
Simon Scott | ... | Johnson |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
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Storyline
An intelligent, articulate scholar, Harrison MacWhite, survives a hostile Senate confirmation hearing at the hands of conservatives to become ambassador to Sarkan, a southeast Asian country where civil war threatens a tense peace. Despite his knowledge, once he's there, MacWhite sees only a dichotomy between the U.S. and Communism. He can't accept that anti-American sentiment might be a longing for self-determination and nationalism. So, he breaks from his friend Deong, a local opposition leader, ignores a foreman's advice about slowing the building of a road, and tries to muscle ahead. What price must the country and his friends pay for him to get some sense? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Plot Keywords:
nationalism | colonial history | indochina | cold war | anti communist |Taglines:
MARLON BRANDO In the most explosive adventure of our time! See more »Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
1 August 1963 (Mexico) See more »Also Known As:
Der häßliche Amerikaner See more »Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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(uncredited)
Music by Samuel A. Ward and lyrics by Katharine Lee Bates
Heard when the Ambassador arrives and over the closing credits
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
One key role, that of the Sarkhanese Prime Minister, was filled quite capably by a non-professional, Kukrit Pramoj, a prominent Thai newspaper publisher, former Thai Finance Minister, and, as fate would have it, future Prime Minister (1975-76). Speaking in Bangkok the day after its world premiere, the film's star, Marlon Brando, brought forth gasps by labeling his precocious co-star a "dissembler, liar and thief." Before shock could turn to indignation, Brando, straight face intact, quickly broke the stunned silence. "Mr. Kukrit told me he couldn't act, and then proceeded to prove he could act and, in fact, acted me off the screen. He stole the whole show." See more »Goofs
As it is landing, the TWA plane is a Convair 880. When it arrives at the gate for deplaning, it has turned into a Boeing 707. See more »Soundtracks
America the Beautiful(uncredited)
Music by Samuel A. Ward and lyrics by Katharine Lee Bates
Heard when the Ambassador arrives and over the closing credits
See more »
"The Ugly American" was released right before the Vietnam War started (depending on which stage of it), and now it seems more relevant than ever. Harrison MacWhite (Marlon Brando) becomes ambassador to the Southeast Asian nation of Sarkhan, which is on the verge of civil war between the Communists and the pro-US government. In Sarkhan, MacWhite begins to suspect that US intervention in this country might be prompting people to rebel. While he refuses to accept it, the situation becomes more and more tense, and MacWhite's officially neutral position becomes less and less sustainable.
You can't say for certain what the movie's political message is, but we might take MacWhite's speech at the end as a good reminder. Either way, this is one of the many movies that showed how great an actor Marlon Brando was.