Yanks (1979)

During WWII, the United States set up army bases in Great Britain as part of the war effort. Against their proper sensibilities, many of the Brits don't much like the brash Yanks, ... See full summary »

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writers:

Colin Welland (story), Colin Welland (screenplay)

Stars:

Richard Gere, Lisa Eichhorn, Vanessa Redgrave

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 6 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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 Wileman	...	Billy (as Philip Whileman)
Derek Thompson	...	Ken
Simon Harrison	...	Tim
Joan Hickson	...	Mrs. Moody
Arlen Dean Snyder	...	Henry
Annie Ross	...	Red Cross Lady

Storyline

During WWII, the United States set up army bases in Great Britain as part of the war effort. Against their proper sensibilities, many of the Brits don't much like the brash Yanks, especially when it comes to the G.I.s making advances on the lonely British girls, some whose boyfriends are also away for the war. One Yank/Brit relationship that develops is between married John, an Army Captain, and the aristocratic Helen, whose naval husband is away at war. Helen does whatever she needs to support the war effort. Helen loves her husband, but Helen and John are looking for some comfort during the difficult times. Another relationship develops between one of John's charges, Matt, a talented mess hall cook, and Jean. Jean is apprehensive at first about even seeing Matt, who is persistent in his pursuit of her. Jean is in a committed relationship with the kind Ken, her childhood sweetheart who is also away at war. But Jean is attracted to the respect with which Matt treats her. Despite Ken ...

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Plot Keywords:

american abroad | train station | soldier | sex scene | premarital sex | 

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Taglines:

We'll meet again. Don't know where don't know when.

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA West Germany UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 1979 (UK)

Also Known As:

Yanks - Gestern waren wir noch Fremde

Filming Locations:

Moore, Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$3,931,010

Company Credits

Production Co:

CIP Filmproduktion GmbH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

138 min 165 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White (archive footage) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

US actress Lisa Eichhorn, who studied in Oxford and trained in London, got her lead role after deceiving John Schlesinger about her nationality: "I've never lied about anything like that. I said I was British, and there was a pause, and then I said, well, half British... my mother was an American or some such thing, so that if he detected a tiny American accent there would be an explanation for it."

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Goofs

In the restaurant with the slot machine, her Coke bottle has a painted 'CocaCola' painted on the bottle. That bottle was introduced in 1957. Before that it was only molded in the glass.

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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.

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Crazy Credits

The names in the opening credits are divided into two categories: The Americans and The British.

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Connections

Referenced in BBC Proms: Prom 2: Music from Great British Films (2007)

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Soundtracks

I'll Be Seeing You
Sung by Anne Shelton
Music by Sammy Fain (uncredited)
Lyrics by Irving Kahal (uncredited)

User Reviews

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!!!