Trivia / The Americanization of Emily

• Cast the Expert:The majority of the male main cast members who played U.S. Navy Officers or NCOs, James Garner, Melvyn Douglas, James Coburn, William Windom, Edward Binns, and Alan Sues, were U.S. Army veterans. Douglas served during World War I; Windom, Sues, and Binns served during World War II; and Garner and Coburn served during The Korean War.
• Cast the Runner-Up: William Holden was originally meant to play the lead role of "Charlie" Madison while James Garner was originally selected to play the character "Bus" Cummings. When Holden backed out of the project, Garner took the lead role, and James Coburn was brought in to play "Bus".
• Creative Differences: Producer Martin Ransohoff removed William Wyler as director, as Wyler wanted to change Paddy Chayefsky's script. It was a rare instance in which a producer supported a screenwriter over a director, particularly one of Wyler's caliber. As Chayefsky was known to have guarantees written into his contracts protecting his scripts, Ransohoff may have had no choice but to replace Wyler with Arthur Hiller.
• Creator's Favorite Episode: Both James Garner and Julie Andrews called this their respective favourite roles.
• DVD Commentary: Although the DVD cover states that movie historian Drew Casper does the audio commentary, it's actually Director Arthur Hiller. He speaks very fondly of the making of the movie.
• Friendship on the Set: James Garner and Julie Andrews became fast friends during the making of this film, and went on to make two more movies together. They remained close for the rest of their lives.
• Playing Against Type:
  • Julie Andrews as a depressed cynic. She thanks this film for coming before The Sound of Music - saying she would have been doomed to typecasting otherwise.
  • Veteran comedian Joyce Grenfell starts out playing Emily's mother as one of her usual daffy eccentric women, but effectively switches to playing her as more of a serious Woobie after her scene with Charlie.
• Those Two Actors: Julie Andrews and James Garner also starred in One Special Night and Victor/Victoria.
• Uncredited Role: Marianne Stone as an extra.
• Write What You Know:
  • William Bradford Huie, author of the original novel, had been in the Navy, and, like Charlie, served as an aide to an admiral, then participated in D-Day.
  • Paddy Chayefsky also served in the war, and was a Purple Heart winner.

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