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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Universal Studios
Salesrank: 29374
Released: August 12, 2003 |
| Our Price: $2.99 |
| Used Price: $3.75 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
The united states sends a new ambassador to a divided southeast asian country about to explode. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 01/09/2007 Starring: Sandra Church Eiji Okada Run time: 120 minutes Rating: Nr Director: George Englund
The Ugly American Reviews:
"Some eye opening scenes between Brando and a good cast" 
2009-07-25 - Universal Pictures presents "THE UGLY AMERICAN" (2 April 1963) (122 mins/Color) (Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- Marlon Brando (Harrison MacWhite) gives one of the best and outstanding performances of his career --- But his Asian co-star Eiji Okada (Deong) just about steals the film --- You feel the passion and struggles of each character within this tightly written screenplay by Stewart Stern --- Pat Hingle plays the construction boss who gives Brando some good advice of slowing down the paving of the Freedom Road --- Take note that Brando's sister Jocelyn Brando appears as Pat Hingle's wife who runs the local hospital --- Very thought provoking film that never gives an inch during these turbulant times, good drama.
Under the production staff of:
George Englund - Director
William J. Lederer (novel)
Eugene Burdick (novel)
Stewart Stern - Screenwriter
George Englund - Producer
Frank Skinner - Original Music
Clifford Stine - Cinematographer
Ted J. Kent - Film Editor
BIOS:
1. Marlon Brando
Date of Birth: 3 April 1924 - Omaha, Nebraska
Date of Death: 1 July 2004 - Los Angeles, California
2. Eiji Okada
Date of Birth: 13 June 1920- Chiba, Japan
Date of Death: 14 September 1995 - Japan
3. Pat Hingle
Date of Birth: 19 July 1924 - Miami, Florida
Date of Death: 3 January 2009 - Carolina Beach, North Carolina
4. George Englund (Director)
Date of Birth
22 June 1926, Washington, District of Columbia
Date of Death: Still Living
the cast includes
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
Check out the Marlon Brando 4-Movie Collection (The Ugly American / The Appaloosa / A Countess from Hong Kong / The Night of the Following Day)
also available on this Amazon site:
http://www.amazon.com/Collection-American-Appaloosa-Countess-Following/dp/B0007RTBA6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1248618787&sr=1-2
Just picked up this title --- Totally recommend this flick to all Brando fans --- The Ugly American is an eye opener during these days with all the political unrest around the world --- Hopefully we've learned something that will show us the ways to peace for all free men.
Total Time: 122 min on DVD ~ Universal Pictures ~ (08/12/2003)
A PRESCIENT DRAMA
2009-02-07 - Marlon Brando starred in "The Ugly American", which despite its title was not liberal, but proved to be prescient. It was loosely based on the friendship developed between an American fighter pilot, shot down and fighting with guerillas, and Ho Chi Minh, who was fighting the Japanese during World War II. Marlon, the former pilot-turned-PR-executive, is named ambassador to a small Southeast Asian nation modeled on Indochina. The reason he is appointed is because of his friendship with a populist leader there who the U.S. fears may be a Communist. Brando assures them the man is not one, but when he gets there he discovers the man is. Their friendship turns into mortal enmity, and America's largesse, goodwill and social conscience are thrown back at us by savage mobs roiled by Marxist ideology. The final scene shows a press conference detailing the crisis, with a businessman changing the channel on his TV to show American indifference to the world's crises. Considering what happened in Vietnam over the next years, it proved to be a real cautionary tale.
Third World politics meets First World might
2009-02-02 - After his rather tepid performance in MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1962), Marlon Brando rebounded well as Ambassador Harrison MacWhite in THE UGLY AMERICAN (1963).
The politics of this story remain vital.
This concerns the situation in Vietnam just prior to America's full scale military involvement. South and North Vietnam are given aliases, yet it's clear where this story unfolds.
A modern "Freedom Road' being constructed through the heart of "Sarkan" is seen by populist leader Deong (Eiji Okada) not as an effort at modernization, but as a route for the American military to use in overrunning his country. The project is sabotaged by Deong and his followers, and as Amabassador MacWhite arrives thousands flock to Deong's banner. The partisan's message of a small nation refusing to allow a great one to dominate it should be heeded today more than ever.
Watching this story from the distance of 45 years leaves one wishing LBJ had reconsidered his Domino theory and an incursion that was doomed to fail. Perhaps if he had, more recent actions might have also been given deeper thought before American troops were committed to again invade a sovereign nation and wage a war whose outcome at best would be stalemate.
Also recommended:
Mel Gibson's WE WERE SOLDIERS (2002) is a superb recounting of America's first set battle in Vietnam. In November 1965, the 7th Cavalry was outnumbered 10 to 1 in their desperate struggle at the la Drang valley.
Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 viewer poll rating found at a film resource website.
(6.7) The Ugly American (1963) - Marlon Brando/Eiji Okada/Sandra Church/Pat Hingle/Arthur Hill/Jocelyn Brando/Kukrit Pramoj/Justin Pratt
Dated but interesting 
2006-11-06 - I just watched it dubbed into Thai. There is a disclaimer on this version stating that although Thailand had just undergone a coup, this fictional country was not meant to be Thailand. Does that mean it was shot there and the Thai government requested the disclaimer? I do not remember it being on the US version but I saw that one over 40 years ago. I could not place the location as Thailand since the vehicles were left, rather than right hand drive. No indication as to the shooting location that I could find. Any ideas?
Dated story and a simplistic Cold War Hollywood view. I read the book in the 50s and was impressed by it as I was by "The Manchurian Candidate".
The film had more impact on me in '59 when I saw it than it did yesterday. Still, not a bad performance by Brando and probably an accurate view of the simplistic view most Americans had about French Indo-China. Ironic that he went on to play Col Kurtz.
It was worth the 19 baht (47 cents approximatly) that I paid for it. It would not have been worth more.
Decent, but could have been a lot better
2006-05-26 - In 'The Ugly American' we find Marlon Brando playing Harrison Mac White, the American ambassador to the ficticious Asian country of Sarkan. What we are presented with is a decent political plot, but one with significant flaws.
Brando stars opposite Eiji Okada who plays his old Sarkanese friend Deong, and herein lies one of the film's major problems. Okada's performance is limited. He does not appear convincing as the leader of his people, his fiendship with Brando appears lukewarm at best and he regularly stumbles over his lines. Brando puts in a quality performance, but this is not enough to stop the relationships between the characters from appearing somewhat forced.
The story itself is an interesting look at American foreign policy during the cold war, the ambiguous reasoning behind it and the reactions of those in the nations whom it effected.
Overall 'The Ugly American' is worth a watch, but those expecting a top notch, taught political thriller will be left disappointed.
