Overview
Amidst the chaos of war, love blooms in unexpected places.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- irreverent
- sardonic
- classic movie night
- war film retrospective
What critics said
Critics broadly admire the film’s scabrously funny Chayefsky screenplay, sharp dialogue, and performances, while finding it overstuffed and occasionally in poor taste.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Charles treats military service as a system of risk management while the film mocks Navy bureaucracy and patriotic spectacle.
Charles builds his life around making events smooth and safe, then faces a dangerous mission that challenges his self-preservation.
Charles, an American officer in Britain, falls for English woman Emily while the story examines American behavior abroad.
The screenplay is noted for slashing irreverence, crackling dialogue, and long speeches about war, heroism, and national identity.
Films like The Americanization of Emily, and why
Catch-22
Shared antiwar satire, irreverent dialogue, romantic tension, and skepticism toward military heroism.
The Great Escape
Shared World War II setting, darkly comic treatment of military institutions, and tension between cowardice and idealized heroism.
The More the Merrier
Shared romantic comedy structure, sharp verbal wit, and a relationship tested by wartime pressures.
The Americanization of Emily
Shared sophisticated wartime romance, bittersweet tonal balance, and critique of patriotic mythology.
Movie Details
- Director
- Arthur Hiller
- Release Date
- 1964-10-27
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (83)
Cast
- James Garner
- Julie Andrews
- Melvyn Douglas
- James Coburn
- Joyce Grenfell
- Edward Binns
- Liz Fraser
- Keenan Wynn
- William Windom
- John Crawford
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, TCM
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Americanization of Emily about?
- A risk-averse American naval officer’s romance with an English woman collides with the absurd machinery of D-Day and the myths of military heroism.
- What is The Americanization of Emily like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Americanization of Emily as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Americanization of Emily violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Americanization of Emily as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Americanization of Emily?
- Critics broadly admire the film’s scabrously funny Chayefsky screenplay, sharp dialogue, and performances, while finding it overstuffed and occasionally in poor taste.
- Which films are like The Americanization of Emily?
- Films with a similar feel include Catch-22, The Great Escape, The More the Merrier, and The Americanization of Emily.
- How long is The Americanization of Emily?
- The Americanization of Emily runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Americanization of Emily?
- In United States, The Americanization of Emily streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, TCM.
