Saturday Evening Movie Post [moviegique]: The Most Pro-American Movies of the 21st Century (to date)

On this 250th Independence Day, I thought it would be fun to revisit three films that came out in the 21st century that reflected the most positively on this great and glorious nation. There's a thread running through all this, which is probably really obvious. If you're not drunk, it'll probably leap out like a firework with a surprisingly short fuse.

Three guys in trenchcoats standing next to a blue-haired girl leaning on a prison door.

You don't even have to be a great detctive to figure this one out.

The World's Fastest Indian

Released widely in the spring of 2006, this Roger Donaldson (Species, Dante's Peak) biopic tells the story of Burt Munro, a kiwi who (on hearing he has serious heart disease and little time left) mortgages his house and grabs a ship (he cooks and cleans to earn his passage) to Long Beach, California with an idea of getting to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah to race his Indian (a motorcycle made in Springfield, Massachusetts) and break the world land speed record.

After a rough start in Los Angeles, he's helped out by Tina, a friendly transvestite (Chris Williams, brother of Vanessa, "Dwight" from Dodgeball), buys a junker from Fernando (Paul Rodriguez), who accepts repayment in the form of quick tune-ups, is saved from a breakdown by Jake (a Native American played by Saginaw Grant of the Ridiculous 6), has a one-night stand with Ada (Diane Ladd) and finally makes it to the Flats where he is immediately disqualified before he can enter for not registering on time and for having a motorcycle that's essentially hand-made on the cheap with no safety devices.

The obscure Kiwi is saved through the bold actions of a wired-in white guy who browbeats the officials into letting Burt race where he breaks the speed of sound, then the speed of light, and crashes into the 8th Dimensions to fight Lectroids with Buckaroo Banzai.

OK, maybe not that last part.

But Walton Goggins is in it. So it's got that going for it. (Which is nice.)

Actually, maybe not any of it: In real life Munro knew exactly what he was doing, had no time for charming side-quests, wasn't in poor health particularly, and was legendary at the Flats.

Great movie, though. Hopkins performance was true enough to make the Munro family cry. Composer J. Peter Robinson ("Charmed", Wayne's World) channels Thomas Newman and other turn-of-the-century movie composers effectively. The cinematography is gorgeous and the color-coding is spot on. Mornings in New Zealand are pastoral blue, the roads in America are amber-waves-of-grain, and the salt flats are white hot.

Some of this doesn't play the same in 2026. The aggressively diverse encounters Burt has stick out now in a way they didn't twenty years ago. Even though the intention here is to showcase Burt's general laid back attitude, in today's world it can feel overengineered.

Still, fine film. Wherever Burt goes, there's an American who wants to help.

Anthony Hopkins on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Just don't call him a POHMie.

Schultze Gets The Blues

An old German salt-miner retires and finds himself with nothing to do but play polkas and cough ominously. One day, while avoiding a report on lung cancer on the radio, he stumbles across zydeco music which, in true Teutonic fashion, he shrugs off. But then, shocka: He turns back to it, listens to it for a while, picks up his accordion and plays it by ear.

A busy dance hall with Schultze dancing with an American woman.

The dance hall scenes are adorable. The people can't stop looking at the camera.

This becomes a kind of obsession—and you know I love movies about obsessed guys, right?—and he decides to try to raise the money to go to the swamps of America where the music is made. This involves a lot of low paying jobs to cover the ever-increasing fare.

His playing gets negative reactions from most of the townsfolk, but a core group really enjoys it, and because Schultze's a likable guy, they manage to get Schultze to represent them at the traditional German music festival in their sister city in Texas.

So it's an hour into the movie before we get to America, but it looms as a presence throughout. Schultze's quarrelsome friends (one Prussian, the other Saxon) talk about "the Yanks" dismissively, but they envy Schultze and his escape to the New World. They presume he's getting rich and famous and probably lucky and he'll forget all about them. The Americans are nice, they concede.

Schultze, after the traditional music conference, gets himself a rundown houseboat to sail into the swamps to find the home of zydeco. All along the way he encounters people who are eager to help him out, offering guidance, resources, dancing, food, all around a loose theme of "You like music? I like music! We should hang out!" And this when Schultze can barely say "music".

I can (and someday might) do an extensive post on how this film was shot. Each sequence is: The camera is set down, often at a medium-long distance, and the action plays out in front of it. It never moves. Even when attached to a vehicle, it stays fixed staring back at the passengers. At 48 minutes, it swivels about 90 degrees—from Schultze and his friends to the mysterious and sexy Lisa, a waitress who performs an impromptu Flamenco dance to dramatize unplugging the newfangled electronic slot machine.

It's got none of the slick camera movement of Indian and there's no color correction or enhancement. When Lisa does her Flamenco dance, she is wearing a drab tan skirt and dark brown sweater. There are elements of Tati here, and a Wes-Anderson-without-the-twee sense of humor that makes me laugh to beat the band. And it makes me want to take a crummy houseboat into the swamps of Louisiana.

Schulze in his nightshirt, in his living room, playing the accordian

This is apparently a genre called "European Deadpan".

Detective Chinatown 2

At the opposite end from these earlier films is Detective Chinatown 2. I did a full review when I saw it the first time, but it's interesting to revisit it now after the coof swallowed Detective Chinatown 3 and its sequel Detective Chinatown 1900 didn't get an American release either. (There is a spin-off television series of the original movie called "Detective Chinatown". There's also a spin-off series of this movie called, naturally, "Detective Chinatown 2". They do not feature the actors from the movies, nor do they feature the main detective from the movies, but a different actor plays the comic sidekick, who I guess is the real catalyst for the stories. They are not comedies, and I don't understand Asian television.)

While World's Fastest Indian is a big-budget, carefully constructed Hollywood fantasy, and Schultze Gets The Blues is practically cinema verité when it gets to America (the director just dropped actor Horst Krause into situations with whoever was there, and Krause didn't speak much English), DC2 is just trying like crazy to make you laugh and feel good.

It reminds me of Mel Brooks or Benny Hill. There are mobs chasing the heroes through the streets of New York, tough motorcycle gangs with a romantic streak, sassy Chinese bureaucrats, cartoonishly broad racial stereotypes, and an undercover scene where our three heroes dress in nurse drag.

Subtlety is not the watchword here.

New York City in DC2 is like Paris in Amelie: There's no sign of graffiti, dog droppings, vagrants—even the crime is stylish and in good fun. When the boys go to a school to check out the number one suspects, all of a sudden the walls are completely plastered with the most aesthetic graffiti imaginable. (Set deisgn!)

Even though there's a shockingly grim set of crimes underneath it all, it's done with the kind of tone-switching the Asians do (on the whole) way better than the West. The final chase scene is reminiscent of Ferris Beuller's Day Off, as the three heroes on the lam rush to stop a grisly murder, riding in a horse-drawn carriage and leading their pursuers in an impromptu parade, while Taylor Swift's "Welcome To New York" plays.

It's so utterly un-PC, it's one of the best times I've had in a theater in ten years.

Our two heroes fleeing through New York while their pictures are being cast to the nearby skyscrapers.

Yes, this is also how I do stealth missions.

American Exceptionalism

The common thread between all three movies, if you haven't picked it up, is that all three are based around the perspectives of foreigners of this great land of ours. If we look at @FreddieLa7's adventures, among many similar cases, we find that not only are these foreigners' views accurate, they're understated if anything.

While awful things happen every day, we are overly focused on them. The fact is, a country like this doesn't just happen: It exists because every day, ordinary people go out of their way to help others. Part of this is our tremendous affluence. But American hospitality goes back to Plymouth Rock. It is perhaps our greatest inheritance.

Sometimes it takes an outsider to remind us of that.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 08:05 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Figure it'll be a quiet night. But welcome to all.

Just got back from "Young Washington." I'll probably review that for the July 25th post.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 07:31 PM (K40fF)

2 Oh, man, it's so easy posting here now. I should start doing daily reviews.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 07:34 PM (K40fF)

3 Top 10?

Posted by: Erebus- Ex Killer Whale at July 04, 2026 07:36 PM (Cr2ed)

4 3rd!
Wooho. I'm the 2nd loser!

Posted by: Erebus- Ex Killer Whale at July 04, 2026 07:36 PM (Cr2ed)

5 Good evening everyone

Posted by: Skip at July 04, 2026 07:39 PM (Ia/+0)

6 "Babylon" (2022) Deserves an X rating. There's plenty enough good stuff in there, but then ... there's the rest of it. Do I recommend it? No. Will I rewatch it someday? Likely. For quality fam-friendly Chazelle, try "First Man" (201

.

"Highway Hell" (1941) Prostitution ring septet works the rural two-lanes and rustic cabin motels of the fruited plain. A couple of the roadsluts aren't bad looking, and they all seem to be 'going my way.'
youtube.com/watch?v=CH66JDsmBX4

"The Red Menace" (1949) Shows how commie spies operate and recruit in the USA. One of the better flicks in this genre, well worth a watch. Barbra Fuller is the most boinkable among the Bolsheviks.
youtube.com/watch?v=6KWHDNPdoCg

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 07:40 PM (Jr5Lq)

7 "Hula" (1927) Clara Bow gets wet, then she gets lei'd. The infamous nude bathing scene ain't all that, but she looks mighty fine in jodhpurs.
youtube.com/watch?v=2hQR1MpLGDo

"The Wild Party" (1929) Clara Bow is hot for teacher, but why does it have to be Fredric frickin March for cripes sake? Movie starts out fun, then turns too serious. Who needs serious? I wanna climb up in her kee-ray-zee hair and build a squirrel dray. Because that's something that Fred would never do for her. And I need a place to store my nuts.
youtube.com/watch?v=1z4ZhBiobYc

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 07:41 PM (Jr5Lq)

8 "Land of the Pharaohs" (1955) Things were just ducky for brutal tyrant Khufu, until well-tanned Joan Collins showed up. This good Eastman Color print has vivid hues that will blow your sandals off. Massive Tiomkin score. The trick to writing the ceremonial and processional music for these epics: you can noodle out ANY random melody, as long as it's got a martial staccato beat, and is performed with a stentorian timbre.
ok.ru/video/6691606301211

"Blood Money" (1933) Interesting story and characters. Bug-eyed puffing klepto Frances Dee is mad as a march hare and scary as hell.

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 07:41 PM (Jr5Lq)

9 >>Oh, man, it's so easy posting here now. I should start doing daily reviews.

Well, when the post timestamp is 25 minutes from now, that simplifies it astonishlingly!

Erebus nooded, so the Horde is inbound.

Posted by: Nazdar at July 04, 2026 07:43 PM (NcvvS)

10 Evening, folken,

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is on Movies in about fifteen minutes, if you haven't seen it recently and like James Stewart and especially Jean Arthur as much as I do. Linda's got some fireworks show going on the TV, and I'm going to have to wrestle the remote away from her, methinks.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at July 04, 2026 07:43 PM (wzUl9)

11 Never saw either of the 3 movies

Posted by: Skip at July 04, 2026 07:44 PM (Ia/+0)

12 I'm gonna watch the boom-booms from the deck of the cottage instead of walking down to the beach for that.

I'm all peopled out today.

Posted by: Tonypete at July 04, 2026 07:44 PM (NXz0i)

13 Hey, GP! Quite the roundup!

Why should "Bablyon" be X-Rated. I remember it being...well, what we used to call "racy"...but I don't remember it being particularly graphic.

I didn't do a full write-up of that one. Just "Babylon: The worst thing to happen to Singin' In The Rain since A Clockwork Orange!"

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 07:45 PM (K40fF)

14 13 Ha!

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 07:46 PM (Jr5Lq)

15 11 Never saw either of the 3 movies

I expect most people haven't. "The World's Fastest Indian" flopped. "Schultze Gets The Blues" did fine for an art film, but that's not saying much as far as audience awareness. And "Detective Chinatown 2" was a smash hit! But in China. Not so much in the USA.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 07:46 PM (K40fF)

16 Top photo, Meet the Beatles.

Posted by: Eromero at July 04, 2026 07:48 PM (LHPAg)

17 Not even 5pm here on the beach. Sun won’t set for four+ hours. Fireworks start after 10. And go until 4am.

Poor Lucy. She’s not going to be a happy kitty.

Posted by: nurse ratched. at July 04, 2026 07:50 PM (yEz+x)

18 The World's Fastest Indian - saw this by accident, thought, this isn't a great movie but I'm glad it found me. They used to turn out movies like this about one a month or more. Now, do they at all?

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others at July 04, 2026 07:51 PM (jU8k8)

19 "Why should "Bablyon" be X-Rated."

Abundant full-frontal nudity, various perversions, like people getting peed on, and murdered during sex.

Pre-Code period stuff was racy. "Babylon" is explicit. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but maybe better to label it as such.

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 07:53 PM (Jr5Lq)

20 Gique, where is "Detective Chinatown 2" available for viewing?

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at July 04, 2026 07:53 PM (kpS4V)

21 I thought Stirling was getting used to the occasional sharp noises on 7/4 and 12/31. Nope; he even turned up his nose at his calming treats to dive under the bed. And there haven't really been any fireworks yet.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at July 04, 2026 07:53 PM (wzUl9)

22 "The World's Fastest Indian" is an enjoyable film, indeed.
I haven't seen it in ages. Thank you for the reminder.

Posted by: BarelyScaryMary at July 04, 2026 07:54 PM (Snklc)

23 > Now, do they at all?

Not really. It's a hugely upbeat movie, pro-America, and about going fast and using fossil fuels.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 07:54 PM (K40fF)

24 AI sez: "You can stream the movie "Detective Chinatown 2" for free on Tubi"

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 07:55 PM (Jr5Lq)

25

My father butt raped from age 3ish to age 9.

That hurt less than this post.

At least he used some sort of grease...

Posted by: Shithurt at July 04, 2026 07:56 PM (Dgvzh)

26 I didn't come prepared with a pro-American movie, but right off the top of my head, I'll re-mention "First Man," an ass-kicking movie about real American heroes, a film with a giant heart. I've seen it maybe ten times already.

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 07:59 PM (Jr5Lq)

27 Abundant full-frontal nudity, various perversions, like people getting peed on, and murdered during sex.
---
Huh. I don't remember that, other than by implication.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:00 PM (K40fF)

28 No Saturday in the Park until 2037.

Posted by: Cow Demon at July 04, 2026 08:03 PM (4g5V+)

29 20 Gique, where is "Detective Chinatown 2" available for viewing?

24 AI sez: "You can stream the movie "Detective Chinatown 2" for free on Tubi"

AI is wrong. You cannot stream DC2 in the USA as far as I know. And this brings back memories.

When the lockdown hit, I started getting DVDs of Asian movies I had see to re-watch them with the (incarcerated) family. I even did a post on that here called "Reviewing the new classics."

I picked up a bunch of movies easily, but not DC2. I had to get a DVD from Malaysia!

I formulated the idea that this was so un-PC that it was essentially censored in America. I cannot prove this. But given that it was the biggest hit of the DC series, and "Detective Chinatown" (1) is freely available, I think it's not too far-fetched.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:04 PM (K40fF)

30 Awww.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at July 04, 2026 08:06 PM (kpS4V)

31 I'll bite on the idea of a list of non-obvious pro American movies...

If you are going to list something with drag like "Detective Chinatown 2," you should list the superior "To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything Julie Newmar." Patrick Swayze and Wesley Snipes being amazing, on an classic American road trip movie, finding the goodness in rural American life and helping change others and be changed for the better. And the American dream at the end of winning a pageant.

"My Cousin Vinny," fish out of water in the south, roadtrip gone bad. But it shows the good virtues of the south, and doesn't paint Southerners as clueless yokels. And it shows that the justice system can be noble, even if proving innocence in it can be difficult.

And how about "Scarface" ... you can come from nothing and rise to the top! Sort of. Say hello to my little friend.

Posted by: LizLem at July 04, 2026 08:07 PM (gWBY1)

32 I thought the movie Independence Day was pretty patriotic. We blew up a dozen mother ships and wiped out an alien race for some good fireworks. America, fuck yeah.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at July 04, 2026 08:07 PM (S41Gd)

33 It's interesting that "Detective Chinatown" is to Bangkok what "Detective Chinatown 2" is to NYC. And DC3 takes place in Tokyo, and my guess is it's a love song to Tokyo. (Which is impressive, if true, given China/Japan tensions.)

DC4 takes place in San Francisco in 1900.

I should probably get 3 & 4. I'm so disappointed that so many of the theaters have just stopped playing Chinese & Korean stuff. Plenty of Hindi/Telugu/Tamil stuff, tho'.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:07 PM (K40fF)

34 "Detective Chinatown 2"
ok.ru/video/1119308089874
works for me.

They have another copy if that one doesn't work for you.

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 08:08 PM (Jr5Lq)

35 Well, here in mostly liberal NJ it was the largest turnout for an afternoon showing of a matinee I have ever seen -for "Young Washington." . Many people were wearing patriotic shirts. It was an older crowd because you pay less at a matinee. I thought it was very good and I'm kind of amused by the fact that the actor playing Washington is actually English. I hope he learned and appreciated things about Washington which he never knew.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at July 04, 2026 08:09 PM (D+BhG)

36 30 Awww.

Yeah, sorry, the answer is "My Jellyfin server."

If you want to see it and can't find a good source, I'll media mail you my copy.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:09 PM (K40fF)

37 I'm doing a more classic pro American movie marathon today. Rocky, National Treasure, and Apollo 13. Maybe slip in Big Trouble in Little China if there's time. (The last one is another not-obvious love letter to America.)

"May the wings of liberty never lose a feather."

Posted by: LizLem at July 04, 2026 08:09 PM (gWBY1)

38 Holy shite, our library system has Detective Chinatown 2!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at July 04, 2026 08:09 PM (kpS4V)

39 "And how about "Scarface" ... you can come from nothing and rise to the top! Sort of. Say hello to my little friend."

I recently rewatched the DePalma "Scarface," and still love it. Nothing wrong with the 1932 "Scarface" either. Make it a double feature.

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 08:11 PM (Jr5Lq)

40 It's pronounced Scar-FAH-chey.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at July 04, 2026 08:12 PM (kpS4V)

41 The only line that I recall from 'The World's Fastest Indian' is when, in an early scene, Munro washes out and falls in a beach race. He picks himself up, and utters, 'Bugger'.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at July 04, 2026 08:13 PM (XeU6L)

42 Cable is out until 11:30. I’m going to miss the whole fucking shindig.

Posted by: Javems at July 04, 2026 08:14 PM (+uKTE)

43 Naw scarface 1983 is turrble down to murray abrahams accent and pfeiffers die job

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at July 04, 2026 08:14 PM (jOF+o)

44 Abundant full-frontal nudity, various perversions, like people getting peed on, and murdered during sex.

----

Go on. . .

Posted by: Tonypete at July 04, 2026 08:14 PM (NXz0i)

45 And I appreciated the remarks of one of the screenwriters who was Dutch and a Christian, who come here a number of years ago, loved America and became a citizen:

https://tinyurl.com/5cejbp2s

I think Angel Studios has redeemed itself after the apparently awful Animal Farm, although I didn't see that.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at July 04, 2026 08:14 PM (D+BhG)

46 38 Holy shite, our library system has Detective Chinatown 2!

!!!!

The one I was having trouble securing to review for this...uh...review was "Schultze Gets The Blues".

There's a site called "Hoopla" that had it. But Hoopla is tied to your library card. Hmmph. Well, Hoopla provides links on how to get a library card on line. I got one in 5 minutes and was actually able to go back and watch "Schultze" in, like, 10 minutes.

A rare occasion where technology worked seamlessly and to my advantage!

Which I'm probably also paying for with my tax dollars.

:'-(

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:14 PM (K40fF)

47 "murray abrahams accent"

Yeah, but he pays the ultimate price for talking like that.

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 08:15 PM (Jr5Lq)

48 Did someone else discuss "The Great Escape"? That's very pro American.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at July 04, 2026 08:15 PM (D+BhG)

49 Just got back from "Young Washington." I'll probably review that for the July 25th post.
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 07:31 PM (K40fF)
___________________________

How about a teaser? Were you entertained?

Posted by: Orson at July 04, 2026 08:15 PM (dIske)

50 Which I'm probably also paying for with my tax dollars.
---/

How else are vagrants going to watch porn?

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at July 04, 2026 08:15 PM (kpS4V)

51 > He picks himself up, and utters, 'Bugger'.

"Bob's your uncle."
"I'm not a bloody Pommie." (I fell for Prisoner of Her Majesty, POHMie but that's not correct.)
"Dirty old men need love, too."

Those come to mind. But I just rewatched.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:17 PM (K40fF)

52 Agreed

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at July 04, 2026 08:17 PM (jOF+o)

53 Forgot to link "Blood Money" (1933):
ok.ru/video/284475656867

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 08:22 PM (Jr5Lq)

54
Is Comment 25 a nasty troll?

Posted by: four seasons at July 04, 2026 08:22 PM (/QHx4)

55 > 48 Did someone else discuss "The Great Escape"? That's very pro American.

So, I didn't cover it because the post is long enough already, but I didn't not consider any military film. War tends to be a highly specific circumstance.

I was looking for movies that reflected the culture(s) of America as an ordinary, identifiable day-to-day life--ones that didn't bother with America's flaws.

With that restraint, it almost had to be foreign films.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:23 PM (K40fF)

56 "didn't not"

oy

> Is Comment 25 a nasty troll?

It's not a nice one.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:24 PM (K40fF)

57 "The Return of the Living Dead" is a Fourth of July movie.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at July 04, 2026 08:24 PM (CHHv1)

58 49 Just got back from "Young Washington." I'll probably review that for the July 25th post.
Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 07:31 PM (K40fF)
___________________________

How about a teaser? Were you entertained?
Posted by: Orson at July 04, 2026 08:15 PM (dIske)

I saw it today - it's great! I recommend everyone see it. Rather than showing Washington as the made man we all know, it shows how the boy became the great man he was.

Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026 08:25 PM (tOcjL)

59 "Patton" (1970). That's patriotic, and everybody loves it. My mom took me to the theater for that one.

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 08:25 PM (Jr5Lq)

60 Yes thats a great film ive probably watched it 25-30 times even though i know how it ends

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at July 04, 2026 08:25 PM (jOF+o)

61 If I were to pick a pro-American film I think I might surprise people with my choice, but not my reasons.

I would suggest: "Casablanca"

There's no overt reference to the US other than "Rick" an American who set up a club on foreign soil. The whole purpose of his character is to reflect the very question that was on everyone's mind in the US. "Do we want to be in this war?" He's less a character, and more an idea/ choice. Ulimately, he decides to sacrifice his personal successes, sacrifice his personal life, and go all in on doing what he comes to believe is the right thing to do. The film came out in 1942, and likely was instramental in solidifying the choice we made to join the war 12/7/41 out of necessity.

In my mind, that's what makes a classic movie. There was no one in the US (and other countries) who couldn't relate to that very purposeful choice. That seems pretty pro-American to me.

Posted by: Orson at July 04, 2026 08:26 PM (dIske)

62 Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026 08:25 PM (tOcjL)

And I appreciated the fact that he failed at some things and learned from that.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at July 04, 2026 08:26 PM (D+BhG)

63 I wanna climb up in her kee-ray-zee hair and build a squirrel dray. Because that's something that Fred would never do for her. And I need a place to store my nuts.
youtube.com/watch?v=1z4ZhBiobYc

Posted by: gp
---

Knew a guy at school like that. Had it for his wife and she was very cute. I was like, Really? yep really.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others at July 04, 2026 08:27 PM (jU8k8)

64 62 Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026 08:25 PM (tOcjL)

And I appreciated the fact that he failed at some things and learned from that.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at July 04, 2026 08:26 PM (D+BhG)

Yes, it's a great movie to take kids to (if they can handle battle scenes) b/c it does reinforce that success is no guarantee, and failure is okay and can be a stepping stone on which to grow...

Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026 08:28 PM (tOcjL)

65 34 "Detective Chinatown 2"
ok.ru/video/1119308089874
works for me.

They have another copy if that one doesn't work for you.

Posted by: gp
---

They have Schultz too. Both in native language. No English.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others at July 04, 2026 08:29 PM (jU8k8)

66 The greatest America F0qk Yeah! movie was Independence Day obviously

Posted by: gKWVE at July 04, 2026 08:29 PM (w0CFP)

67 Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026 08:28 PM (tOcjL

Yes. That was an important message and my son who is in his 20's was the youngest person there.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at July 04, 2026 08:30 PM (D+BhG)

68 67 Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026 08:28 PM (tOcjL

Yes. That was an important message and my son who is in his 20's was the youngest person there.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at July 04, 2026 08:30 PM (D+BhG)

I had my teen boys, and saw more teens in my showings...my kids all liked it!

Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026 08:31 PM (tOcjL)

69 Watching The Right Stuff, haven't seen it in a long time but shouldn't stay up

Posted by: Skip at July 04, 2026 08:31 PM (Ia/+0)

70 Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026

That's great!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at July 04, 2026 08:32 PM (D+BhG)

71 66 The greatest America F0qk Yeah! movie was Independence Day obviously
Posted by: gKWVE at July 04, 2026 08:29 PM (w0CFP)

Ummm, by your definition, it's actually Team America: World Police

Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026 08:32 PM (tOcjL)

72 Also Stargate.
There is talk that ID4 was supposed to be the sequel. Some of this is sketched in the novels. But the novels became very very bad so ID4 became the standalone.
SG1 is the reboot of the terrible novels.

Posted by: gKWVE at July 04, 2026 08:33 PM (w0CFP)

73 I'm not a fan of Zendaya, but she and Robert Pattinson were very good in "The Drama". They play a young couple very much in love who are asked by the best man's shit-stirrer wife "What's the worst thing you've ever done?" They reluctantly tell stories of hurtful things they've done --a couple of which are pretty bad -- and Zendaya's character reveals that when she was a mixed up teen she had fantasies of doing a school shooting, even bringing her father's weapon into school. She never does it, eventually even becoming anti-gun, but it's too late now, her fiancée has real doubts about her, and it starts to corrode their relationship.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at July 04, 2026 08:34 PM (kpS4V)

74 I am grateful to my parents for bringing me here as a child from the third world Islamic shithole. Not saying which shitholes but there were two. Today they might be just about the same.
Some don't appreciate America until they see what they are up against.

Posted by: gKWVE at July 04, 2026 08:36 PM (w0CFP)

75 Also watching on Tubi this week a French series The Village.
Follows town's citizens from fall of France in 1940 and says ends in 1945. On episode 8, been good so far.
Suspect some of these won't last to the end.

Posted by: Skip at July 04, 2026 08:36 PM (Ia/+0)

76 I’ve always Forrest Gump was decidedly pro America.

Posted by: Javems at July 04, 2026 08:36 PM (+uKTE)

77 Not saying y'all's movies are not pro-USA America, of course. I like "Casablanca" with Rick as a stand-in for all of America. "Independence Day" has that classic '50s approach of "Yeah, when the aliens come, America is basically in charge of the world."

But I was looking for 21st century movies.

Also, I was looking for average(ish) Americans in average(ish) situations.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:38 PM (K40fF)

78 “ Thought” that is.

Posted by: Javems at July 04, 2026 08:38 PM (+uKTE)

79
Unexpectedly pro-American film: Shane. Even though Director George Stevens didn't bother changing the Anglo names of the characters from the book, he made a point of placing several foreigners among the homesteaders to show that they were Americans united from all over the world. "Ernie Wright" was played by an actor famed for his exotic accents, and his character was seemingly German. "Swede" and Mrs. Shipstead and Axel Johnson were another set of foreigners. (Hollywood didn't mind these mismatched names/accents in those days apparently). Torrey the southerner and the Starretts were part of the community, too. You don't know the Starretts complete backstory, but they clearly came from genteel families and they'd been educated and "finished" elsewhere -- but Starrett insisted on forging a way for himself as a homesteader and steadily refused the cattle baron's offer of a more lucrative job working for him.

Although the settlers and homesteaders are living pretty rough, you can see the rising prosperity in a scene where they all go to Grafton's and they look through a catalog with fancy clothes.

There's a Fourth of July celebration in the movie, too.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at July 04, 2026 08:39 PM (mmrXZ)

80 I've never known anyone who didn't like Scarface except for the occasional person who can't take Pacino's over the top Montana and focus a lot on the accent - but holy shit if you can get by it even slightly and just enjoy watching someone chew out the scenery of his own movie and any other movie playing within a seven block and seven day radius, you're gonna have a damn good time.

Posted by: ... at July 04, 2026 08:39 PM (vE0+H)

81 Post 9-11 pro America movies are hard to find.

Posted by: gKWVE at July 04, 2026 08:41 PM (w0CFP)

82 44 Abundant full-frontal nudity, various perversions, like people getting peed on, and murdered during sex.

----

Go on. . .

Posted by: Tonypete
---

I can't find it.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others at July 04, 2026 08:43 PM (jU8k8)

83 I don't think I've ever seen any 21st century movies where foreigners came to the U.S.A and appreciate it.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at July 04, 2026 08:44 PM (Bw1/o)

84 81 Post 9-11 pro America movies are hard to find.

Especially American-made ones.

73 I'm not a fan of Zendaya, but she and Robert Pattinson were very good in "The Drama".

That worked for me. I thought I covered it here but I see I went for "Over Your Dead Body" instead. I had a very similar take on it.

https://moviegique.com/reviews/the-drama/

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:44 PM (K40fF)

85
There's a Fourth of July celebration in the movie, too.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at July 04, 2026 08:39 PM (mmrXZ)

Sort of a subject change here but in a way, not. I watched Battle of Britain recently and really dug the Nazi rally that was filled to the brim with excited cheering women, with the men at war.

An image you don't see every day and has actually been drummed out of polite society in favor of the stereotypical crowds of scary racist white men - but 100% balls on accurate. Hitler had millions and millions of fawning female fans.

Posted by: ... at July 04, 2026 08:44 PM (vE0+H)

86 81 Post 9-11 pro America movies are hard to find.

Which is weird.

83 I don't think I've ever seen any 21st century movies where foreigners came to the U.S.A and appreciate it.

Helps to watch =foreign= films. Finding American movies that are appreciative of America is hard.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:44 PM (K40fF)

87 "Shane" (1953) Brilliant and flawless. Must see. 10 out of 10.

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 08:45 PM (Jr5Lq)

88 I've never known anyone who didn't like Scarface....
----

When I first saw it, at jarhead boyfriend's insistence, the chainsaw scene nearly made me hurl. BF just laughed and laughed. Savages, the lot of 'em!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at July 04, 2026 08:45 PM (kpS4V)

89 Harold and Kumar (first one) was pro America.
If they could just get rid of Americans.

Posted by: gKWVE at July 04, 2026 08:47 PM (w0CFP)

90 Oh, ok....21st Century film. Then I'm going to go with "Miracle." That is the account of the 1980 US Olympic hockey team. The film and the event made a major impression. I can still name a number of the players, and that was nearly 50 years ago in a sport that I have no particular interest in.

"DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!!!!! YES!!!!"
- Al Michaels

Posted by: Orson at July 04, 2026 08:47 PM (dIske)

91 But I was looking for 21st century movies.

Also, I was looking for average(ish) Americans in average(ish) situations.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books)
---

Excellent concept the only problem is that I don't speak German or Chinese. Considering the crap they put out today you probably couldn't find three within the parameters you set.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others at July 04, 2026 08:48 PM (jU8k8)

92 The Green Inferno was pro-American to the extent that the anti-Americans were almost all eaten by cannibals.

Posted by: Wally at July 04, 2026 08:49 PM (0e5Te)

93 83 I don't think I've ever seen any 21st century movies where foreigners came to the U.S.A and appreciate it.
Posted by: FenelonSpoke at July 04, 2026 08:44 PM (Bw1/o)

Elf wildly appreciates America...

Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026 08:49 PM (tOcjL)

94 When I first saw it, at jarhead boyfriend's insistence, the chainsaw scene nearly made me hurl. BF just laughed and laughed. Savages, the lot of 'em!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at July 04, 2026 08:45 PM (kpS4V)

Scene is brutal and shocking. If I told you how old I was when I first saw it, you would hurl again. Probably didn't do my head any good. Rest of the movie is a tour de force, maybe a little of its time and extremely DePalmy - and you do have to get past the chainsaw and Pacino's caricature - but I would never deny it's a fantastic film.

Posted by: ... at July 04, 2026 08:50 PM (vE0+H)

95 > Hitler had millions and millions of fawning female fans.

One of the gags...I think of it as a gag, but it probably just reflects my lack of understanding of '60s British privlic schools...but one of the gags of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" is that she ADORES Mussolini.

> Young Washington

I enjoyed this a great deal. It is well-shot, well-edited, well-acted--I mean, I hate to underscore this but right-wing movies often have more heart than technical skill. This feels like a real movie.

It does not quite, in my mind, rise to the level of the Korean historical dramas. But it's a damn good film, and it makes you want to see more of the time period, which has been grossly underserved in the past 50 years.

Curiously, yesterday it had a 6.1 on IMDB. Usually ratings go down as review quantities go up, but it is now at 7.0. I might put it as high as a 7.3.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:50 PM (K40fF)

96 "Excellent concept the only problem is that I don't speak German or Chinese."

I'll see if I can find a speech to text translator that can run alongside a streaming movie that does not have subtitles. If I find one that works, I'll report back in a future thread.

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 08:52 PM (Jr5Lq)

97
Man, this rained-out 250th in DC is a bummer. Trump should just go out to that trailer with the WWII veterans and party.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at July 04, 2026 08:52 PM (mmrXZ)

98 90 Oh, ok....21st Century film. Then I'm going to go with "Miracle."

Heh. I had to look it up. Yeah, it's around the same time as "Schultze" and "Indian".

It's definitely pro-America. Or pro-1980 America.

Posted by: moviegique (buy my books) at July 04, 2026 08:52 PM (K40fF)

99 Pacino in Scarface is like a cross between Peter Lorre and Senor Wences. And then there's the incest angle.
Terrible movie.

Posted by: Wally at July 04, 2026 08:53 PM (0e5Te)

100 97
Man, this rained-out 250th in DC is a bummer. Trump should just go out to that trailer with the WWII veterans and party.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at July 04, 2026 08:52 PM (mmrXZ)

It's why they originally scheduled the fireworks for 11pm...that's usually when weather clears...

My kids are in the rain watching neighbors light fireworks (our neighborhood show got busted by a dog owner who brought the cops a few years ago, son in revenge, now it's every man and women for themselves b/c those are not "organized" and thus are never shut down)...less safe and cool than the old show, but more American somehow...

Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026 08:54 PM (tOcjL)

101 son = so (dang typo)

Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026 08:55 PM (tOcjL)

102 That part was basef on a guy who was in the lion tamer guy

Posted by: Miguel cervantes at July 04, 2026 08:57 PM (jOF+o)

103 "this rained-out 250th in DC is a bummer"

I asked an AI how much water was in this week's humid heat dome. It said 225 gigatons. I asked how much latent energy was in that water vapor. 140 trillion kWh, equivalent of 2400 Tsar Bombas. I knew when the heat broke, that water had to land on somebody.

The Water Cycle knows no mercy.

Posted by: gp at July 04, 2026 08:58 PM (Jr5Lq)

104 It's why they originally scheduled the fireworks for 11pm...that's usually when weather clears...
Posted by: Nova Local at July 04, 2026 08:54 PM (tOcjL)

______________________________

And as despisable as they are California and Hawaii are part of the celebration too.

Anyway....850,000 shells are being used for this fireworks display....That's about 100 times more than big city displays who use anywhere between 7000 and 10000. DC is going to be loud and bright tonight.

Posted by: Orson at July 04, 2026 08:58 PM (dIske)

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