THE UGLY AMERICAN
US, 1963, 120 minutes, Colour.
Marlon Brando, Arthur Hill.
Directed by George Englund.
The Ugly American was a best-seller in the late 50's and was topical on its release in 1963. November 1963 saw the assassination of President Kennedy and the coup against President Diem in South Vietnam. There is no mistaking the setting of this film and its presentation of the conflicts in Asia. Now the film is interesting to ponder in its stances of 1963.
Marlon Brando is Ambassador Mac White in Sarkhan. He goes with liberal attitudes based on long friendship with popular Sarkhan leader, Deong. His experience of terrorism in Sarkhan forces him further right and into stronger militaristic stances which cause even more violence and disorder. He fails his mission - a position seemingly proven by what has happened.
The film was panned on its first release - Marlon Brando's acting, the political situation probably turned critics against it. Actually, it is quite a good film and its issues are certainly worth discussing. Marlon Brando is quite good as Mac White. (This performance came after his portrayal of Fletcher Christian in Mutiny on the Bounty, 1962.)
1. Although fiction, did this film give insights into some of the realities of Communism, war and political stances in South East Asia in the 60's?
2. Any bias to left or right in this film?
3. The title emphasised the Ugly American. Did the film bear out the title? How? Why?
4. What political and diplomatic issues were raised during MacWhite's interrogation?
5. 1960's equivalents to Deong? What did he stand for?
6. How realistically did the film show the kind of terrorism that goes on?
7. What was the significance of Freedom Road? Of what was it a symbol? Development? Peace? freedom? United States help?
8. The film used a lot of commonplace slogans of politics and the press: What meaning did the film give these phrases?
9. How well did Deong and Mac White understand each other? How well informed was each about the other's background and way of thinking?
10. What attitude towards Communism did Mac White take? Did the film take the same attitude?
11. What contribution to your understanding of the film's issues did the hospital make? The symbolic slaughter on freedom road?
12. What was your reaction to the intricacies of the politics in the coup, the Prime Minister and the forces using Deong?
I3. MacWhite? was shown as a tough ambassador. Why was he forced (or was he?) into move and more of a right-wing position?
14. Why was Deong killed?
15. Was the irony of the ending too heavy? What was the point?
16. The book was written in the late 50's and the film released in 1963, the year of American and Vietnamese assassinations. How well did the film anticipate realities?
