One of my favourite movies ever . . . the first movie that dared to treat WWII as antyhing but a sacred cause. James Garner's finest moment as an actor. Every libertarian should see this film.

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Product Description

Director Arthur Hiller pairs Julie Andrews and James Garner as an unlikely couple during WWII in this delightful satire centered around the U.S. military. James Coburn co-stars. Year: 1964 Director: Arthur Hiller Starring: James Garner Julie Andrews James Coburn Joyce Grenfell Keenan WynnRunning Time: 115 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY UPC: 012569599925

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11618 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2005-05-10
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Black & White, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 115 minutes

Amazon.com essential video
Screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky (Marty) sinks his satirical fangs into this story of an American naval officer (James Garner) selected to be the first victim at the invasion of Normandy. Julie Andrews plays a prim, British war widow who falls for him. Cynical in tone, the story becomes an interesting collision of manipulative interests and renewed life, the same formula that worked so well in Chayefsky's scripts for Network and Hospital. --Tom Keogh

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Customer Reviews

All silver bells, coral shells, carousels, & the laughter of children at play
The Americanization of Emily is a controversial film, kind of anti-war, but somewhat patriotic, nonetheless. It is included in a box set called the Controversial Classics Collection (Advise and Consent / The Americanization of Emily / Bad Day at Black Rock / Blackboard Jungle / A Face in the Crowd / Fury / I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang). Good company for this black & white film, it was directed by Arthur Hiller (More about him later) and written by Paddy Chayevsky (Altered States, Network, Marty).

James Garner (Maverick (Television Favorites); Maverick, movie directed by Mel Gibson, with Jody Foster; Victor/Victoria and It Happened One Night, both with Julie Andrews) plays a "Dog Robber," which is the name given to military personnel attached to Generals and Admirals who ensure that they are well supplied with food and beverages, and ladies, or whatever their choice is. Julie Andrews (The Sound of Music, Mary Poppins (40th Anniversary Edition), S.O.B., directed by her husband, Blake Edwards, and featuring a drugged out, topless rendition of Polly Wally Doodle All the Day) plays a British soldier who drives for the motor pool, is rather priggish, but then falls for the American, in spite of--or rather--because of his cowardice. He is proud of his cowardice, having seen the hellishness of war, he wants to stay as far away from it as possible. Contacts made while serving as night manager of a hotel in Washington D.C. allow him to do just that. That is, until he somehow winds up an unlikely hero--the first sailor to hit the beach on the Normandy Invasion--D Day.

James Coburn (Ultimate Flint Collection (Our Man Flint / In Like Flint)) plays his pal, an Annapolis graduate who is more than content to remain well behind enemy lines, pandering to the Generals and Admirals, while maintaining his own campaign of extreme womanizing--until his Annapolis background rears its ugly head, and he corrals Garner into an ill-advised campaign to film the Navy's contribution to D-Day. Amusing hijinks ensue, and Garner becomes a reluctant hero.

But enough about them. Watch the movie if you must. But what is really intriguing to me are two things: One, the many and varied films and television programs directed by Arthur Hiller; and Two, the song composed for the movie with music by Johnny Mandel and lyrics by Johnny Mercer: Emily.

Hiller was president of the Director's Guild of America (DGA) from 1989-1993. He attended Victoria School for the Performing and Visual Arts (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada). The widescreen process that Mr. Hiller uses in his films is never credited in any of his films, and none of his films are in the usual 2.35:1 ratio. The width of the picture resembles VistaVision more than Panavision or Cinemascope. He was president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). [1993-1997] He directed 5 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Ryan O'Neal, Ali MacGraw, John Marley, Maximilian Schell and George C. Scott.

Movies and Television programs he directed include Pucked (2006), An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1998), Carpool (1996), The Babe (1992), Married to It (1991), Taking Care of Business (1990), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989), Outrageous Fortune (1987), Teachers (1984), The Lonely Guy (1984), Romantic Comedy (1983), Author! Author! (1982), Making Love (1982), Nightwing (1979), The In-Laws (1979), Silver Streak (1976), W.C. Fields and Me (1976), The Man in the Glass Booth (1975), The Crazy World of Julius Vrooder (1974), Man of La Mancha (1972), The Hospital (1971), Plaza Suite (1971), Love Story (1970), The Out of Towners (1970), Popi (1969), "Insight" (1 episode, 1967), The Tiger Makes Out (1967), Tobruk (1967), Penelope (1966), Promise Her Anything (1965), The Americanization of Emily (1964),
"The Addams Family" (1 episode, 1964), Inside Danny Baker (1963) (TV),
"I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" (1 episode, 1962), A Small Matter of Being Fired (1962) TV episode, "Ben Casey" (3 episodes, 1962), "Route 66" (12 episodes, 1960-1962), Blues for the Left Foot (1962) TV episode, "The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor" (2 episodes, 1959-1962), "Naked City" (4 episodes, 1961), Ooftus Goofus (1961) TV episode, Murder Is a Face I Know (1961) TV episode, "The Dick Powell Show" (1 episode, 1961), "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (17 episodes, 1958-1961), "Shirley Temple's Storybook" (1 episode, 1960), "The Rifleman" (4 episodes, 1958-1960), "Gunsmoke" (9 episodes, 1959-1960), "The Barbara Stanwyck Show" (1960) TV series (unknown episodes), Perry Mason" (3 episodes, 1958-1960)
- The Case of the Ominous Outcast (1960) TV episode
- The Case of the Bartered Bikini (1959) TV episode
- The Case of the Desperate Daughter (1958) TV episode

"Wagon Train" (1 episode, 1959)
... aka Major Adams, Trail Master

Love Story may be the most well known, but Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn may be his most controversial, because it tells the story that "Hollywood doesn't want you to hear."

The name Alan Smithee is one that directors use when they want nothing to do with a project:

"Born in 1967, the same year he directed his first picture, Death of a Gunfighter (1969). Restricted by Directors Guild of America rules to certain "genres" of film, i.e., those on which the other directors have functioned, but from which they wish to be disassociated. Gained strong reviews for his initial film: "Sharply directed by Allen Smithee who has an adroit facility for scanning faces and extracting sharp background detail", (New York Times); "Smithee's direction keeps the action taut and he draws convincing portrayals from the supporting cast", (Variety). His oeuvre extends over a wide range of topics and styles, usually with only one unifying factor between projects: the refusal of other directors to put their name to the work. Although idle speculation has given birth to the rumor that his stage name derives from an anagram of "The Alias Men", in actuality it grew out of a decision that this particular stage name should be so individual that no other person would ever be likely to appear whose name matched that of Smithee. Although Smith, then Smithe, were considered, eventually it was decided that a second "e" would guarantee this individuality, and Smithee has functioned under this name ever since. Although his first name is occasionally misspelled "Allen", the name Alan Smithee has come to represent a unique vision in American film."

Now we come to the meat of the matter. The song, Emily. I watched the movie in vain, waiting to hear it. Julie Andrews, an excellent singer, was in it, and can you blame me for expecting that she might deign to sing it? But no, even though composer Johnny Mandel and lyricist Johnny Mercer are credited, right at the beginning, the song is never sung by anyone, and the theme is orchestrated instrumentally throughout, but it is just a tease. Not once does anyone--Julie Andrews or Marney Nixon--sing it.

What a shame. Barbra Streisand pays homage to it on her album, The Movie Album. Barbra had wanted to do this album for years, and though she is 61, her voice still holds out. She does all her favorites from films such as Bagdad Café's "Calling You," and her "Moon River" is a faithful evocation of Audrey Hepburn strumming her guitar in the film, Breakfast at Tiffany's). That song also features lyrics by Mercer, and the phrase "Huckleberry Friend" though he was advised to remove it, has almost become his calling card. A biography with that title was published, and anyone familiar with Moonriver, from either Breakfast at Tiffany's or the Andy Williams Show, should know who it is about.

But anyone named 'Emily' will love how Barbra sings the Johnny Mercer lyrics. The way Streisand wraps her voice warmly around the three vowels of 'Em-i-ly' is creamy - dare I say like butter, uh, 'buttah'? Seriously, "Emily" is gorgeous.

For serious students of jazz, piano, and well composed tunes, Emily is a revelation. Bill Evans plays it on The Best of Bill Evans Live on Verve. And it is included on Jamey Aebersold's jazz play-along series, in Collectors' Items (Play-A-Long Series, Volume 52). If you really want to analyze the chords, here is the place to begin your studies. It is in ¾ waltz time, and it is in the key of C, but he takes a pretty well known chord progression and takes it through some kind of worm hole, portal to another dimension. It begins with a I vi ii V7 chord progression, but everything after that is unique, and masterful the way Mandel handles it.

Really a great songwriter, he seems to have been born just at the end of the era, the twilight of the Great American Songbook days. His most well-known tune was probably The Shadow of Your Smile, written for another film, The Sandpiper (The Sandpiper: The Original Motion Picture Sound Track). As one Amazon reviewer, Michael C. Smith "MGMboy@aol.com" of San Francisco puts it:

"Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were lucky to have Johnny Mandel write the music for this, their "Honeymoon" film. Mr. Mandel's love of the Big Sur coast is beautifully realized here in his score for The Sandpiper. The colors of the music are so painterly in their layering and execution that they stay with the listener long after the CD has ended. Cool and rich, this jazz inspired music is as intoxicating as a slow drive down Highway One to the Nepenthe. Not to be overlooked are Jack Sheldon's romantic trumpet solos. His contribution is the soulful heart of this soundtrack. Many thanks to Verve for reissuing this wonderful 60's masterpiece. Finally, one cannot help but wonder if "The Shadow Of Your Smile" holds a special place in Elizabeth Taylor's heart. Memories of a beautiful place along the windswept California Coast and the beginning of her married life with Richard Burton."

A Biting Satirical View on War and its Cost
Julie Andrews and James Garner have both claimed that this is one their favorite movies. And no wonder--it's satirical, biting and caustic commentary on the Cold War and war in general. It's also completely fantastic and riveting. It's perhaps one of the most entertaining movies I've ever seen. This move has never gotten the credit that it richly deserves.

*SPOILERS*

Starting a few days before D-Day, we are introduced to some men and woman who are stationed in London, England who are waiting for the inevitable invasion to begin. The beginning of the movie hardly takes notice of D-Day until later. You are immediately drawn into the plot and would almost forget that there is a war going on, except that everyone is wearing a uniform.

Lt. Commander Charlie Madison (played by James Garner) is a lazy American serving as a "dog robber" for Admiral William Jessup (played by Melvin Douglas). A dog robber's job is to make sure anything and everything will make his Admiral comfortable in any way no matter how crazy or insane the Admiral's requests may be.

Charlie is an indolent American who is used to treating women like objects and toys, being sexist and rude towards them. At the beginning of the movie Charlie is seen walking around randomly slapping women on their backsides. His driver Emily Barnham (Julie Andrews) objects quite vehemently to this treatment and promptly slaps him across the face. He notices her and tries to gain her favor by pretending to have an 'old war injury' which just happens to act up the next day. Emily sees right through his pretenses.

Emily softens toward him after awhile, realizing that since Charlie is a coward, he will most likely not die in the war like her father, brother, and husband. She becomes entirely comfortable with the idea in fact so much that she falls in love with cowardly Charlie. He loses some of his piggish ways and begins to treat her well. Their love grows.

However after Emily has made the realization that Charlie is a coward and therefore won't get killed in the war, fate steps in. Crazy Admiral Jessep has a plan. He wants the first one killed on Omaha Beach to be a Sailor and he wants it to be filmed. He thinks that this will give the Navy much needed publicity and will show that the Navy is doing their part to defend their country. He comes up with this insane idea for there to be a tomb built in Washington DC called 'The Tomb of the Unknown Sailor.' He makes Charlie make all the arrangements for this to occur. Since Charlie can't find a camera crew to film it, he has to go on this dangerous mission with the Navy Engineering Corp. His friend Lt. Commander 'Bus' Cummings (James Colburn) in a splurt of misguided patriotism goes along with this rediculous idea and writes up the orders so Charlie has to do it.

However Charlie is still a coward. When the Navy Engineers get to shore, Charlie refuses to go farther. He starts swimming back to the boat. Bus knows that this just won't do, so he shoots Charlie in the leg to make Charlie keep on going. There is a barrage of enemy fire and Charlie goes down, making Charlie ironically the first person dead on Omaha Beach, or so the audience is led to believe.

Filmed entirely in black and white, the film is almost made better by the lack of color. It makes one concentrate on the film rather than the color. It highlights the fakeness of all the parties Charlie Madison puts on for his crazy Admiral and the harshness of war. The viewer is drawn into the story. In fact, I didn't even notice after awhile that the movie was in black and white.

It is possibly one of the most enjoyable movies that I have ever seen, possibly Julie Andrews best. It shows that Julie doesn't have to sing to be a great actress. She plays the emotionally fragile, yet strongfully willed Emily very well. James Garner is at his best in this movie, portraying a fine, if extremely lazy and mislead man who wants to do 'right' for himself.

If you want a completely compelling hilarious, and interesting story that will keep you entertained for a few hours, I recommend buying this movie. It is a keeper, something to watch over and over again. In fact, viewing it just once would be a shame. Seeing it for a second time makes the viewer catch some subtleties that they might miss on the first viewing.

The Americanization of Emily
The product is what I expected. It arrived on time and in the condition advertised.