Drawing inspiration from the acclaimed 1958 American political novel “The Ugly American,” the 1963 movie of the same name presents a grounded portrayal of a political drama/thriller set in a Southeast Asian country resembling Vietnam, grappling with divisions between capitalist and communist ideologies. Marlon Brando takes on the role of an American diplomat newly assigned to this nation, while Eiji Okada embodies the revolutionary leader—once a close friend of MacWhite (Brando)—who might be under communist influence. The film’s conclusion offers a thought-provoking commentary on how easily Americans overlook political turmoil in faraway places. George Englund, a longtime friend of Marlon Brando, produced and directed this movie, which has some appealing aspects, including its exploration of politics, Deong's traditional Asian home situated by the water, and Kukrit Pramoj’s portrayal of Prime Minister Kwen Sai. However, it ultimately feels somewhat mild-mannered and doesn't possess the impact or excitement found in earlier films dealing with political conflict, such as “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962) and “The Bridge on the River Kwai” (1957). Brando delivers an adequate performance, but his usual magnetism seems to be absent, likely because he had limited involvement in shaping the narrative—a contrast to his more memorable roles in films like “The Young Lions” (1958) and “One-Eyed Jacks” (1961). With a runtime of 2 hours and 3 minutes, the film was filmed on location in Thailand. GRADE: C+

Source on TMDB