Made in U.S.A. (1966)

Director:

Jean-Luc Godard

Writers:

Jean-Luc Godard (writer)
Donald E. Westlake (novel)

Release Date:

27 September 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery

Plot:

Set in the near future, Paula, a leftist writer, goes from Paris to the French town of Atlantic-Cité...

Plot Keywords:

Journalism | Experimental Film | Acronym In Title | Avant Garde | Country Name In Title

Cast

Anna Karina	...	Paula Nelson (as AK)
László Szabó	...	Richard Widmark (as LS)
Jean-Pierre Léaud	...	Donald Siegel (as JPL)
Marianne Faithfull	...	Marianne Faithfull (as MF)
Yves Afonso	...	David Goodis (as YA)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Claude Bakka	...	Man with Marianne Faithfull (uncredited)
Daniel Bart	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Jean-Pierre Biesse	...	Richard Nixon (uncredited)
Jean-Claude Bouillon	...	Inspector Aldrich (uncredited)
Fernand Coquet	...	Bill Poster (uncredited)
Marc Dudicourt	...	Barman (uncredited)
Rémo Forlani	...	Workman in bar (uncredited)
Eliane Giovagnoli	...	Dental Assistant (uncredited)
Jean-Luc Godard	...	Richard Politzer (voice) (uncredited)
Sylvain Godet	...	Robert MacNamara (uncredited)
Anne Guegan	...	Girl in Bandages (uncredited)
Kyôko Kosaka	...	Doris Mizoguchi (uncredited)
Philippe Labro	...	Himself (uncredited)
Rita Maiden	...	Woman Who Gives Paula Information (uncredited)
Ernest Menzer	...	Edgar Typhus (uncredited)
Miguel	...	Dentist (uncredited)
Jean-Philippe Nierman	...	Note-Taking Policeman (uncredited)
Danielle Palmero	...	Hotel Chambermaid (uncredited)
Marika Perioli	...	Girl With Dog (uncredited)
Alexis Poliakoff	...	Man With Notebook and Red Telephone (uncredited)
Isabelle Pons	...	Provincial Journalist (uncredited)
Philippe Pouzenc	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Roger Scipion	...	Dr. Korvo (uncredited)

Directed by
Jean-Luc Godard

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jean-Luc Godard		writer
Donald E. Westlake		novel "The Jugger" (as Richard Stark)

Produced by
Georges de Beauregard	....	producer

Cinematography by
Raoul Coutard

Film Editing by
Françoise Collin
Agnès Guillemot

Production Management
René Demoulin	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Claude Bakka	....	assistant director
Charles L. Bitsch	....	assistant director
Jean-Pierre Léaud	....	assistant director
Philippe Pouzenc	....	assistant director

Sound Department
René Levert	....	sound
Jacques Maumont	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Georges Liron	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Geneviève Letellier	....	assistant editor

Production Companies

• Anouchka Films
• Rome Paris Films
• S.E.P.I.C.

Distributors

• Lux Compagnie Cinématographique de France (1966) (France) (theatrical)
• Pathé Contemporary Films (1967) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Criterion Collection, The (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Raro Video (2005) (Italy) (DVD) (boxed set)
• Rialto Pictures (2008) (USA) (all media)

Also Known As:

Made in U.S.A. (Brazil) [pt]
Made in USA (Argentina) [es]
Made in USA (Finland) [fi]
Synevi stin Ameriki (Greece) [el]
Una storia americana (Italy) [it]

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:6 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Anouchka Films

Trivia:

Though based on "The Jugger" by Richard Stark (Donald E. Westlake), the author received no compensation for this adaptation. Westlake, who passed away at the end of 2008, successfully kept the film from being shown in the US during his lifetime.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Hunter: A Conversation with Author Donald E. Westlake (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

As Tears Go By

the ignored gem of a master

So Godard is not for everyone. I need to preface things here with that. Godard is such a polarizing figure some folks actually get angry at not just the director, but also with the people who enjoy his work. I've actually been accused a few times of simply pretending to dig the guy by those who didn't have the patience. But, for my money, when Godard was in his power (ie the Sixties) no one could touch him.

Made in USA, so Godard claims, is a remake of the Big Sleep. But, and it should be noted up top, I don't think we can believe him. Part of the fun is dealing with how he will lie to you, treat you with contempt, and/or in general mess with your head. There are constant interruptions in the film, Godard forces you to face the fact you are watching a film and to size it up constantly. Godard doesn't exist to watch on auto pilot; he wants you to analyze the act of viewing. It can be infuriating, especially when he removes action sequences or very awkwardly names characters/places "Otto Preminger" or "Richard Widmark." The political statements get a little heavy handed as well, though treated with humor.

As much fun as I find the film, and this entire period of Godard, watching a film like this or Pierrot Le Fou or 2 or 3 Things About Her or Weekend is work. You are expected to be actively involved. If you want to be told a story or feel like you are looking into another world, maybe Made in USA is not for you. And that's cool, these films are obnoxious and pretentious. But it can be extremely rewarding if you are willing to admit you may not "get" chunks of the film and maybe enjoyment will only kick in after thinking about the movie for a couple days. That sounds like faint praise, but Made in USA is an audacious, bold, exciting film that makes you confront what you always took for granted in classic Hollywood.