Yanks

"In 1942 everyone loved a soldier"

1979 2h 18m EN

😐

5.9

MID

★5.9TMDB · 67

RomanceDramaWar

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

During WWII, the United States set up army bases in Great Britain as part of the war effort. Against their proper sensibilities, many of the Brits don't much like the brash Yanks, especially when it comes to the G.I.s making advances on the lonely British girls. One relationship that develops is between married John, an Army Captain, and the aristocratic Helen, whose naval husband is away at war. Helen loves her husband, but Helen and John are looking for some comfort during the difficult times.

“In 1942 everyone loved a soldier”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Richard Gere
Matt Dyson
Lisa Eichhorn
Jean Moreton
Vanessa Redgrave
Helen
William Devane
John
Chick Vennera
Danny Ruffelo
Wendy Morgan
Mollie
Rachel Roberts
Mrs. Clarrie Moreton
Tony Melody
Mr. Jim Moreton

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: John Schlesinger
Writers: Colin Welland, Colin Welland, Walter Bernstein
Languages: English
Countries: Germany, United Kingdom, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

47 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Germany, United Kingdom, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by John Schlesinger, shot by Dick Bush. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Richard Rodney Bennett. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Jim Clark shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Richard Gere and Lisa Eichhorn and Vanessa Redgrave carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "In 1942 everyone loved a soldier".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0080157 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

John Schlesinger directs. Dick Bush behind the camera. Richard Rodney Bennett scores. Jim Clark cuts. Produced in Germany, United Kingdom, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

147 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2International production across 3 countries: Germany, United Kingdom, United States of America.
3Directed by John Schlesinger, shot by Dick Bush. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Richard Rodney Bennett. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Jim Clark shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Richard Gere and Lisa Eichhorn and Vanessa Redgrave carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "In 1942 everyone loved a soldier".
8IMDB entry: tt0080157 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 67 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 9 themes, including "new year's eve", "northern england", "england", "world war ii".

The technical file

Cinematography: Dick Bush
Original score: Richard Rodney Bennett
Editing: Jim Clark
Production design: Brian Morris
Costume design: Shirley Russell
Runtime: 138 min · 2h 18m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Yanks (1979)

Awards

National Board of Review: Top Ten Films

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

John Schlesinger

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2025-06-09
★ 6/10
This has something of the mini-series to it, and try as I did - I just couldn’t get the “over paid, over sexed and over here” mantra from my mind as it rather predictably plodded along some melodramatic lines for a rather lengthy 2½ hours. There are two prongs to the story with the dashing “Matt” (Richard Gere) probably having the more prominent as he rather respectfully courts grocer’s daughter “Jean” (Lisa Eichhorn) - who is supposedly engaged to “Ken” (Derek Thompson) who is away fighting. Meantime the married lady “Helen” (Vanessa Redgrave) is drawn to captain “John” (William Devane) but let’s say their requirements from any relationship are maybe a little more cerebral. Back to “Jean” though and she has to convince her suspicious mother (Rachel Roberts) and father (Tony Melody) that he isn’t just after one thing. Can he mount an effective charm offensive and win the heart of his lady before the rumoured mobilisation makes their decisions for them. To be fair, it looks good with plenty of attention to the detail of the production and that helps it on the authenticity front, but that’s about the only front that delivers here as the plot meanders rather aimlessly without really bringing home just how perilous wartime living in southern England was and at how just how the local population dealt with the privations of wartime rationing whilst their visitors did their trading in stockings and chocolate. Gere is undoubtedly easy on the eye and his character has a general decency to him, but maybe that’s the problem - he, like the thing is general, is just too nice. Indeed, with exception of Roberts none of the characters here really resonate. It’s ok, but that’s about all that can be said for it.

Production companies