The Ugly American

The Ugly American

115 mins | Drama, Thriller | April 2, 1963

An intelligent, articulate scholar, Harrison MacWhite, survives a hostile Senate confirmation hearing at the hands of conservatives to become ambassador to Sarkan, a southeast Asian country where civil war threatens a tense peace. Despite his knowledge, once he's there, MacWhite sees only a dichotomy between the U.S. and Communism. He can't accept that anti-American sentiment might be a longing for self-determination and nationalism. So, he breaks from his friend Deong, a local opposition leader, ignores a foreman's advice about slowing the building of a road, and tries to muscle ahead. What price must the country and his friends pay for him to get some sense?

The Ugly American

115 mins | Drama, Thriller | April 2, 1963

The Ugly American
An intelligent, articulate scholar, Harrison MacWhite, survives a hostile Senate confirmation hearing at the hands of conservatives to become ambassador to Sarkan, a southeast Asian country where civil war threatens a tense peace. Despite his knowledge, once he's there, MacWhite sees only a dichotomy between the U.S. and Communism. He can't accept that anti-American sentiment might be a longing for self-determination and nationalism. So, he breaks from his friend Deong, a local opposition leader, ignores a foreman's advice about slowing the building of a road, and tries to muscle ahead. What price must the country and his friends pay for him to get some sense?
IMDb rating 6.6
Producers Universal International Pictures
Original title The Ugly American
Directors George Englund
Writers William J. Lederer, Eugene Burdick, Stewart Stern

Cast

Marlon Brando

as Ambassador Harrison Carter MacWhite

Eiji Okada

as Deong

Sandra Church

as Marion MacWhite

Pat Hingle

as Homer Atkins

Arthur Hill

as Grainger

Jocelyn Brando

as Emma Atkins

Stefan Schnabel

as / Andrei Krupitzyn

Judson Laire

as Senator Brenner

Yee Tak Yip

as Sawad, Deong's Assistant

Leon Lontoc

as Lee Pang

Bill Stout

as Tyler, NBC Reporter

Simon Scott

as Johnson