My Fellow Americans (1996)

Director:

Peter Segal

Writers (WGA):

E. Jack Kaplan (story) &
Richard Chapman (story) ...

Release Date:

20 December 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy

Tagline:

A comedy about life, liberty and the pursuit of two ex-presidents.

Plot:

Kramer and Douglas, two former presidents from opposite ends of the political spectrum, become reluctant...

Plot Keywords:

Coat | Illegal Immigrant | Sable | Gay Parade | Train

Cast

Jack Lemmon	...	President Russell P. Kramer
James Garner	...	President Matt Douglas
Dan Aykroyd	...	President William Haney
John Heard	...	Vice President Ted Matthews
Wilford Brimley	...	Joe Hollis
Lauren Bacall	...	Margaret Kramer
Sela Ward	...	Kaye Griffin
Everett McGill	...	Col. Paul Tanner
Bradley Whitford	...	Carl Witnaur
James Rebhorn	...	Charlie Reynolds
Esther Rolle	...	Rita
Conchata Ferrell	...	Woman Truck Driver
Jack Kehler	...	Wayne
Connie Ray	...	Genny
Tom Everett	...	NSA Agent Wilkerson

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for salty language and innuendo.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:S | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Peters Entertainment

Trivia:

The scene on the train where James Garner and Jack Lemmon jump to escape the government agents is strikingly similar to Garner's scene in 'The Great Escape' where Garner and Donald Pleasance jump off a moving train to escape pursuing Nazi soldiers. Garner even pushes Lemmon off the train first as he had to do with Pleasance's character who said, "I prefer you just give me good push."

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Kramer and Douglas begin leading the White House tour, it is supposedly a ruse to get to the West Wing. However, they are clearly seen heading away from the entryway past the staircase leading to the Presidential Residence - heading towards the East Wing. Besides, they would know that from that area, one cannot enter the West Wing without either passing outside again or past a security checkpoint.

Quotes:

Greg: Sir, uh, before we go in, Chet and I would really like to know how you got out of that bathroom stall without us seeing.
Matt Douglas: Why don't you guys just relax? Take a night off. Go rent "In The Line of Fire" again.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: My Fellow Americans (#3.8)" (1996)

Soundtrack:

Don't Be That Way

A pleasant surprise.

When this film first came out, the trailers did not interest me in the least. I actually avoided seeing it so as to avoid seeing two cool actors make asses out of themselves (in a bad way). The film was rather poorly marketed, in other words. It looked like Beavis and Butthead with two old guys (in a bad way).

In other words, I'm glad this was the film shown on an Amtrak train a few years back. I think I was laughing harder than anyone else in my car. Frankly, I think a few jokes sailed over people's heads. I remember in particular that the hilarious mispronunciation of "facade" by Dan Ackroyd's clueless VP didn't merit a titter. A few people looked at me oddly when I laughed at it.

This isn't brilliant film-making, mind you. It's simply a vehicle for a lot of very talented comic actors to have fun with some ripe material. It may dip into preachiness now and again, but that is always redeemed ASAP by an entertaining round of rapid-fire bickering.

On an aside, I have to say that I've been in love with Lauren Bacall since I saw The Big Sleep for the first time. It was great to see her in this and even greater to see that she still has a knack for the sharply delivered one-liner. Also, for someone born in the 20s she looks amazing. You heard me right. At 82 years, Lauren Bacall is still hot. Bogie was a very lucky man.