Livestonth
I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible
Fairaher
The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.
Allison Davies
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
cb2369
As a Chayefsky fan, I sorta held off on this movie because it was presented to me as a mere anti-war film. I'm a little bit tired of anti-war films. I think we all are... But here I am, finishing my second viewing of this movie on back-to-back nights, and with great pleasure I can say that The Americanization of Emily is not a simple anti-war film. True to the Chayefsky name, this is one of the most original, well-crafted movies you will ever see. This is screen writing at its best: where conventional romances and gags are turned into a statement on the human condition, and you can laugh and, at the same time, hear your own thoughts put more eloquently than you could ever manage. The Americanization of Emily is not content to stop at anti-war. It moves on and on, sometimes so quick it may be a little jarring at first or seem a little preachy, and maybe it is, but, for all it's flaws (the love song is eerily similar to Spartacus's love theme), this film could easily enter a top ten list. I don't want to hype it up too much, though. I may only like it because I agree. I also don't want to neglect director Arthur Hiller's great contribution (keep an eye out for the 3 minute take in the hotel room.) If you're a Chayefsky fan (which should be just about everyone), however, or if you enjoy the absolute mastery of craft exhibited by Hollywod during its Golden Age, you'll love this film. I highly suggest it. I really do.
SnoopyStyle
Building up to D-Day, American Charlie Madison (James Garner) arrives in England on May 4, 1944. He is a "Dog-Robber" or a personal attendant of a general or an admiral keeping the highest ranked personnel happy. Emily Barham (Julie Andrews) is the driver given to the brash Madison and she's not very impress with the American at first. She had suffered great losses. Despite that, they fall for each other. His superior Adm. William Jessup (Melvyn Douglas) is going crazy trying to maintain the profile of the Navy. He comes up with a scheme to make the first dead man on Omaha beach to be a sailor and sends Charlie off to the pointless suicide mission.For this movie, it's the Paddy Chayefsky screenplay that is the most important. His lines are sizzling. James Garner eats up his rants. The 'cowardice as a virtue' speech has no parallels that I know of. His character is deeply complex. Julie Andrews is absolutely winning. The story doesn't portray the military in the best light.
AaronCapenBanner
Arthur Hiller directed this Paddy Chayefsky script that stars James Garner(Charles Madison) and James Coburn(Paul Cummings) as two Naval Lt. Commanders in WWII who like to live the good life(despite the grim war). Things get complicated when Madison falls in love with local English nurse Emily Barnham(played by Julie Andrews) and his Admiral boss(played by Melvyn Douglas) has a nervous breakdown, forcing the pacifistic Madison on a dangerous mission he doesn't believe in... Absolutely insufferable, self-righteous, and sanctimonious film with like-minded characters that I could not stand. Good cast can't mask glaring moral flaws of story. The one cinema turkey from usually brilliant Chayefsky.
ma-cortes
Acceptable but overlong war comedy with screenplay by prestigious Paddy Chayefsky and being based on a novel written by William Bradford . It deals with an American naval Lt. Cmdr. Charles E. Madison (the role was originally offered to William Holden, while James Garner was considered for the part of "Bus" Cummmings played by James Coburn) , he has a talent for living the good life in wartime that is challenged when he falls in love and is sent on a dangerous mission . Meanwhile , he falls in love with an enticing Brit widow (Julie Andrews' only movie in black and white). But when his Admiral (Melvyn Douglas) suffers a nervous breakdown , it leads to Charlie being sent on a senseless and risked mission dealing with a master plan to have American naval soldier first Normandy with predictable results .This cynical war comedy contains drama , humor , emotion and romance . Top-of the-range stellar cast who gives magnificent acting as James Garner who is splendid as a coward sponger who takes his life as smooth and risk-free as possible for himself ; Garner always says that this is his favorite of his movies and an attractive Julie Andrews who is frankly well . Very good support cast such as James Coburn as Lt. Cmdr. Paul 'Bus' Cummings , Edward Binns as Adm. Thomas , Keenan Wynn as Old Sailor , William Windom as Capt. Harry Spaulding and special mention to Melvyn Douglas as Adm. William Jessup . This ironic picture was financed by producer Martin Ransohoff who removed director William Wyler from the picture as Wyler wanted to change Paddy Chayefsky's script. It was a rare instance in which a producer supported a screenwriter over a director, particularly one of Wyler's caliber. As Chayefsky was known to have guarantees written into his contracts protecting his scripts, Ransohoff may have had no choice but to replace Wyler with Arthur Hiller . Nice production design and art direction from George W Davis and Hans Peters , though several war images have been taken from stock shots , some scenes of the D-Day landing scenes were filmed on Mandalay Beach in Oxnard, California . Atmospheric as well as evocative Original Music by Johnny Mandel . Excellent Cinematography in black and white by Philip H. Lathrop though also shown and available in horrible colorized version . The motion picture was well and professionally directed by Arthur Hiller . Arthur is a good craftsman who has directed all kind of genres as Romantic story : ¨Love story¨ , wartime : ¨Tobruk¨ , Drama : ¨Making love¨, ¨Author , Author¨ ; being his specialty comedy genre such as proved in ¨The out of towners¨, "See No Evil, Hear No Evil" , ¨Silver streak¨ , ¨Outrageous Fortune¨, or this ¨The Americanization of Emily¨ .
