This movie tells the story of the cost of failed foreign policy decisions in countries that were contested during the Cold War. Filmed in 1963, it predicts what eventually happened not only in Southeast Asia, but in Central America and the Middle East. This movie used to be shown to classes at the US Army's JFK Center for Unconventional Warfare as late as the mid-1990s as an example of the country team operating in a country under siege.In 2003, a re-mastered and restored version of this movie opened the movie festival at Port Townsend, WA with both the director and screenwriter in attendance. The director stated that both he and Marlon Brando had considered making a movie about American diplomacy since the mid-1950s but never got any concepts off the ground until the novel was published in 1958. Even then, there were still issues to contend with to include the lack of support from the State Department and the Government of Thailand. It took JFK's personal intervention to get the movie made. JFK allegedly sent a copy of the book to every member of the Senate.This movie portrays the continuing mistake we made, and continue to make, when dealing with insurgencies. During the Cold War we considered any movement against an allied or friendly country as a communist inspired movement rather than a nationalistic one or one motivated by a need for justice. We ended up protecting and supporting unjust and oppressive regimes simply because they were combating a communist movement. The US Ambassador, played by Marlon Brando makes this same mistake. The movie also illustrates accurately how the Communists operated to stir up trouble and strife by creating and celebrating martyrs and casting American good intentions as evil and self-serving. The movie demonstrates how they hijacked and dominated these movements by first offering support, then insidious infiltration of and displacing the genuine nationalist leaders with communist or socialistic ones.Several scenes in this movie are so vivid they are unforgettable. The airport demonstration that turns into a riot is unusually realistic for a movie of this period. I should know; I've seen more than my fair share of riots in Asia and Central America. The attack on the opening ceremony of the Freedom Road is also realistically played out. The eerie silence right after the attack is suddenly interrupted by wailing from the wounded. As the Ambassador's wife tries to tend to one of the casualties, a relief worker walks by and casually tells her, "Don't bother, she's dead." The chaos at the besieged embassy near the end of the movie opens with the face of a bewildered and frightened child as US nationals scramble in the background to leave a country descending into hell.I believe Marlon Brando's performance as the American Ambassador is one his best portrayals. The scene when he realizes that he misjudged the whole situation with his friend Deong is gut wrenching. In the presence of his embassy subordinate and the Sarkhan Prime Minster, not only does he realize that he was wrong, but his diplomatic failure has committed his country to a needless, avoidable war. But Mr. Brando is almost up staged by his Asian co-stars. The articulate Thai actor, Kukrit Pramoj, who plays the Prime Minister of Sarkhan and who later became the real Prime Minister of Thailand after the military junta was tossed out in 1975. The scene where he out maneuvers the American Ambassador and directs his attention to, "the gentleman with the lump on his head" is priceless. And Japanese actor Eiji Okada, who plays the Ambassador's comrade in arms from their OSS days who now leads the revolution against the government the United States is supporting.The movie ends in a scene that captures the typical mood of the American people when it comes to all things dealing with foreign policy. In the decades since the end of World War II, thousands of American diplomats, servicemen and women, aid workers and missionaries have died anonymous deaths trying to bring democracy and a higher standard of living to jerkwater countries around the world. Yet the American people seemed to be indifferent to these sacrifices. Instead, all we seem to care about is the next episode of "American Idol" or the newest hi-tech gadgets or the latest news about the rich and famous. The ending scene of this movie made over 50 years ago is still relevant and true to this day.

The Ugly American is a film starring Marlon Brando as Ambassador Harrison Carter MacWhite and Eji Okada as Deong together with Sandra Church and Pat Hingle.The movie was based on book by Eugene Burdick and William Lederer of the same title. The novel became a bestseller, was influential at the time, and is still in print. The book is a quasi- roman à clef; that is, it presents, in a fictionalized guise, the experience of Americans in Southeast Asia (Vietnam) and allegedly portrays several real people who are represented by pseudonyms Its screenplay was written by Stewart Stern,and it was produced and directed by George Englund.The political drama by George Englund has Harrison Carter MacWhite, an ambassador to a Southeast Asian country in a fictional nation called Sarkhan but stands in well for Vietnam. There is a growing movement against Yankee imperialism and the current government, increasing unrest, and other signs of a complex situation getting worse. At first the ambassador relies on past training and has his own facile explanations for the unfolding events. But as time goes by, he comes to learn that a revolutionary movement is not one-dimensional.The movie was talky for most parts which makes it mundane.Also,the film does not clarify what it is message it is trying to convey about American presence in Southeast Asia.But nevertheless,the performances of Brando and Okada and their exchange of ideas and political beliefs does elevate it from being an average film.The film,which was shown in 1963,could have painted a better picture of what things could have become in the future especially about Vietnam War.Apparently,the film did lack clarity on what it stood for about Communism and the American presence in Southeast Asia.Nevertheless,see this film for Brando's emotional and passionate performance alone.

I was in Viet Nam from June 1963 to March 1964. We saw "The Ugly American" at the American movie theatre in Saigon, the Capitol Kinh Do.There were many Americans and their dependents in Saigon and in Viet Nam at this time--most were isolated with cocktail parties, teas, and American activities. Most American children went to the American Community School outside of Tan Son Nhut Air Base. Their parents belonged to the exclusive Cercle Sportiff, hobnobbing with the Vietnamese elite who monetarily benefited from the war. There were opportunities for American civilians to teach the Vietnamese English, but I never knew of any opportunities for Americans to learn Vietnamese or national customs.Many of the children of the diplomatic corps were instructed that if their shirt tails hung out or if they ate with their fingers when eating implements were available, they would be considered "ugly Americans." Nothing was said about the teenage boys drinking, whoring, and racing their motorcycles through the darkened Saigon streets in the early morning hours. Nothing was said about how we knew the way to "win" the war against the popular nationalist freedom fighter known as Ho Chi Minh who organized the successful campaigns against the Japanese and French occupiers.Perhaps if we had listened a little more, learned the language and customs, and understood that the desire for national freedom is not communism, we wouldn't still be trying to "win" the Vietnam War.

When I grabbed this film I expected it to bore me to tears, but Brando in it is a strong enticement to watch ... so I did. This is an absorbing and relevant political drama with some early stretches (the Senate hearings, Brando's visit to his old friend turned Rebel leader) that honestly are too talky, but as the story progresses there's less talk and more action. Brando is given fine support by the Asian actors, especially the actors playing the Prime Minister and the Rebel leader. There are two nice plot twists in the last ten or so minutes and one very incisive final scene that packs strong commentary about Americans as a whole and is timely today (w/ the Neo-Con march to go to war w/ Iran after the debacle in Iraq). The large crowd scene employed tons of Asian extras and are very well directed ... in particular the harrowing airport arrival sequence!Brando's sister plays an American who runs an orphanage hospital and those scenes w/ the malnutrition Asian children's is very troubling and touches one's heart.