Gung Ho, directed by Ron Howard, is a comedy/drama that finds Micheal Keaton and Gedde Watanabe learning to work together as they try to keep their jobs at a car-manufacturing plant. It’s a funny and moving East-meets-West clash that finds the two striving to not only be better leaders but stronger people overall. Also part of the cast are George Wendt, Mimi Rodgers, John Turturro, and Rodney Kageyama. And because it’s a Ron Howard film there are roles for his brother, Clint, father Rance, and this time even his mother Jean Speegle has a very tiny part.
Buy Gung Ho (1986) Blu-rayHadleyville, PA is facing hard times now that its large automobile manufacturing plant has closed down. So to help revive their livelihoods the local union has sent easy-going, former plant foreman Hunt Stevenson (Keaton) to Tokyo to pitch the location to prominent Japanese auto maker Assan Motors. Once back home, Hunt thinks he’s flubbed the deal but to his and the town’s surprise Assan Motors decides to re-open the factory. The real surprise comes when it is revealed that this re-open is a test run to see if the local work force can actually produce the desired number of cars to the high standards of the Assan company. To help ensure the quality of the vehicles made, Asaan sends a team of their own, led by Oishi Kazihiro (Watanabe), to supervise the factory’s first major production run. Major culture clashes arise before the Japanese team and the Americans gradually figure out what it will take to make this facility a bankable choice with productive, happy workers.
Gung Ho is funny and moving as it portrays the struggles of the working class from two different cultural perspectives. Watching the two teams butt heads before coming together is humorous throughout with many awkward situations, witty one liners, and snappy banter. Hunt and Kazihiro’s approach to each other is a great example of how two people born worlds apart can actually have a lot in common. This realization takes place over time and is highlighted during a great scene where Hunt and Kaz share their troubles over a few beers.
Howard does a fine job representing both culture’s views towards work and home life. He turns a sharp eye to the way that both cultures have become a bit extreme and need to find balance and a happy medium without losing sight of the potential they have for greatness. It’s amusing to watch this balance being struck in a way that works best for everyone involved. I also find it interesting that in current times more people seem receptive and understanding of a life/work balance, a balance that still requires hard work and a long look at one’s values.
The special features on the Kino Lorber release include short but good interviews with Watanabe and George Wendt. Listening to them reminisce about making the movie and how they came to be cast is quite amusing. The audio commentary by film historian and author Dwayne Epstein is also very informative and we get great insight on Howard’s approach to filming Gung Ho. Epstein provides many anecdotes and facts about the filming locations which included Pennsylvania, Tokyo, and Argentina. It was very interesting to learn that the actual plant used was in Argentina where the Fiat company closed and stopped production so Howard could make the movie employing the actual machines and equipment used in the car-making process. Another amusing tidbit is that Howard slightly regretted choosing American-born actors in the Japanese roles as their spoken Japanese was criticized upon the movie’s release for being flawed. But critics be damned as those choices help the movie shine in some of its funniest moments.
Gung Ho remains a timeless, funny example of how the working class struggle is mostly the same all over the world. It highlights that by pulling together and setting small differences aside we can make the dream work with team work.
