MovieChat Forums > The Ugly American (1963) Discussion > The delusions of the era -- not much dif...

The delusions of the era -- not much different from today.

posted 17 years ago by philpaine
7 replies | jump to latest

The film was meant to put across an idea which, at that time, was extremely popular among journalists and commentators on U.S. foreign policy. This was the notion that the charismatic "leaders" who were emerging in third world countries were honest patriots who were "pushed into the arms of the Communists" by the follies of American foreign policy.

In retrospect, this idea is demonstrable nonsense.

Not that this excuses the sleazy policy of promoting dictatorships that American politicians delighted in then (and now).

The film shows both a naive belief in the "good intentions" of American foreign policy (which was in fact driven by corporate interests and scheming sleezeballs), and a naive belief in the nobility of these charismatic "post-colonial" messiahs, who all eventually revealed themselves to be nothing more than gangsters.

[–] diddymuck 16 years ago

Excuse me, but what makes corporate enterprises "sleazy"? An publicly owned, multi-tasking international firm that diversifies from one to hundreds of non-related companies and products is hardly someone you should villify, when tens of thousands of jobs and nearly free merchandise is provided by their efforts. Or would you like to join Sweden in paying 15.00 a gallon for gas or have hot water provided by a coin operated gas governer?

[–] ae7641 16 years ago

phil didn't see your posting as he posted a year ago. Anyway in his post about sleazy he wrote "sleazy policy of promoting dictatorships"

"tens of thousands of jobs" organized crime employs that many also so he can call them "gangsters". Al Capone did say he was doing good also.

Enron and

[–] carthur27 14 years ago

According to historians, Al Capone employed about a thousand men at his peak of power. Certainly not "tens of thousands."

Enron was an evil entity but that doesn't mean most or even many corporations are bad.

[–] irritable 14 years ago

The many corporations that are little more than international gangster operations, stealing as much as they can from other countries and people, screw the world up and cause most of the world's problems. Corporate crime costs trillions and trillions. Just look at the Credit Default Swap swindle.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] irritable 13 years ago

You are deluded sap, and corporate shill. Did you get paid $.05 for your "thought"?

[–] greenbanzanas 14 years ago

I suggest that corporate enterprises have overwhelmingly provided, on their own behalf, enough evidence to warrant the conclusion that they can all be called sleazy, but then again this conclusion is based upon reason and logic. I guess you have been asleep for the past 30+ years, diddymuck?