Culture Crash

 

 

 

 

 

This is my entry in the On The Job Blogathon hosted by Hamlette's Soliloquy and yours truly.

 

 

 

In the mid - to - late 80's Michael Keaton was one of the big names in Hollywood. A Michael Keaton film was guaranteed to have a big popular draw, (and most of the time, it actually did draw a crowd),  He started out as a standup comedian, and managed to parlay that into an early career as a bit player on TV,  He was a co-star on the short-lived The Mary Tyler Moore Hour as Kenny the page. 

His big break in film came as a co-star with Henry Winkler in Night Shift. that followed with starring roles in Mr. Mom and Johnny Dangerously. By the time Gung Ho hit the theaters he had just started to get his chops and following.

Gung Ho hit the theaters at a time when Ronald Reagan was in his second term in office as President.  The economy in the US had made great stride since the recession of the early 80's. But sales of American automobiles were being seriously challenged by the more economic cars being produced by Japan.

Whether or not the events in Gung Ho are realistic from an economic view of that time period, I couldn't say.  My recollection of that time period is limited to the transition from junior college to university, and many a drunken party. (I wasn't very responsible in those days, sad to say).

Gung Ho was a modest hit with audiences and almost assuredly cemented Michael Keaton as a star (although it would take 2 years before he had another real hit with Beetlejuice).  It made $36 million off of a $13 million investment.

Gung Ho (1986):

In the fictional town of Hadleyville, PA, times are rough.  The big money draw in town used to be the automobile factory, but it has been closed for 9 months, and most of the town is either on unemployment or closing up shops and leaving.  Note: I'm not sure how big this town actually is supposed to be.  I get the impression that it is a modest population, probably less than 100,000. Whether the town could or could not survive without a factory is questionable in my opinion.  But the fact remains that many are leaving for better shores.

Hunt Stevenson (Michael Keaton) is tasked with a job to try to entice the Japanese Assan Motors Company to reopen the plant, and goes to Tokyo to talk with the executives.  The first strains of the culture clash that will drive the movie are experienced when Hunt tries to find his way to the executive offices and gets lost. (as well as the experiences he has in living arrangements and finding food that appeals to him).

 

 

 

The meeting seems to not go well and Hunt thinks he has failed.  He returns to Hadleyville broken.  But it turns out that he made a good impression on the Japanese and they decide to open.  Kaz Kazihiro (Gedde Watanabe) is sent with an entourage to open the plant.  

 

 

 

But the culture clash that was Hunt's experience in Japan comes back full force for the Japanese when they arrive.  Fully expecting to run the plant on the Japanese model, they run into a conflict when their American employees throw up a resistance, expecting that things will be the "same as usual" from when it was an American run company.  The first obstacle: the Japanese apparently are not familiar with the labor union system.

The Japanese are only paying a partial hourly wage compared to what the union pay rate was before the plant closed down. (around $8 an hour compared to $11... imagine that today, boys and girls.) But with Hunt's help, the plant does get opened.  

But things don't go quite as smoothly.  The Japanese management has some different views of operation that the Americans are resistant to; like no radios on the line, no smoking (which raises up a red flag for me not because of a disdain for smoking, but because the factory surely has combustible materials in proximity)

One of the more vitriolic members of the American contingent is Buster (George Wendt). Buster is extremely adamant about things going his way, and highly resistant to the Japanese management just on the face of it. 

 

 

 

 In one scene, during an impromptu beer league softball game, Buster takes out his frustration by intentionally running into Saito (Sab Shimono).  Later, when he is demoted to janitor, he thinks it is because of his previous confrontation, although he is told it is because he has been performing subpar in his role at the factory.

 

 

 

Frustrations continue to mount, and Hunt, ever the promoter of himself as what others perceive him to be, tries to negotiate every situation so he looks good.  The big trouble comes midway through the film when Hunt negotiates a pact with Kaz; the plant will produce 15,000 cars in one month  to tie the record made in Japan for one month.  If they do, the management will concede raising the pay to pre shut-down rates, among other concessions.  But if they don't, no concessions will be made.

However, the American workers ask Hunt if they get partial concessions if they come close.  Because Hunt doesn't want to lose face with his compatriots he says yes, they will get something, but knowing that's not true, tries to convince them to go the full amount. This is the point where I started to dislike the American workers. They seem to want it all, but only want to pay for a part of it.  Kind of reminds me of stories I've heard of shoppers trying to use an expired coupon and insisting they still get the discount.

 

 

Anyway, the workers go forward, making a few concessions such as working on Sundays to get to the quota they think is their goal. (Only 13,000 as opposed to 15,000.) But when one of the Japanese management reveals to them the truth they conclude that the management is trying to renege on the deal and walk (strike).

Things are coming to a head.  Hunt finally has to reveal that he knew all along that there was no deal for partial completion.  With 1000 cars still to produce to reach the agreement, Hunt and Kaz go in to the factory to try to get the quota. Will the rest of the factory workers join them? I think you know what is going to happen since this is a feel good comedy not a depressing drama. But hold out for the final reel anyway, because the American spirit comes full force when the top dog Japanese guy shows up to inspect the output.

Gung Ho  is not Michael Keaton's best performance. It's only #37 out of 47 on the Tomatometer which ranks all of his movies. But it ranks about #5 on my list. (Beetlejuice, Batman, Night Shift, and Clean and Sober take the top 4 spots). As far as work films, it is one of the top 5 also. As much as I don't like George Wendt's character of Buster for most of the movie, I do think Wendt as an actor pulled off the character rather well.  The rest of the cast is pretty good too.  Don't miss seeing John Turturro, as one of the other American workers.  

If I had to recast the film, however, I think I would have found a better actress than Mimi Rogers as Hunt's love interest.  She is the only one who I found didn't bring much to the film.  Not sure who else might have been available at the time, nor do I know who else did a casting call for the role. But personally, I wish that it had been Andie McDowell in the role.

 

 

 

Well, folks, it's a work day tomorrow, so I gotta get the Plymouth back in the garage.  Drive safely.

Quiggy