Gung Ho *** (1986, Michael Keaton, Gedde Watanabe, George Wendt, Mimi Rogers, John Turturro, Clint Howard, Michele Johnson) – Classic Movie Review 11,621

Director Ron Howard’s 1986 film Gung Ho, in which a Japanese corporation takes over an American car plant, is a topical Eighties East-meets-West comedy. It stars Michael Keaton, Gedde Watanabe, George Wendt, Mimi Rogers, John Turturro, Clint Howard and Michele Johnson.

After the fictional Hadleyville, Pennsylvania, car plant has been closed for nine months, its former foreman Hunt Stevenson (Keaton) goes to Tokyo to try to persuade the Japanese businessmen of the Assan Motors Corporation to operate the American car factory. They agree and, on their arrival in the US, take advantage of the desperate work force to institute many changes:  no union, lower wages, impossible standards of efficiency and quality.

Gung Ho is an energetic, funny satire from the makers of Splash! (writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, and director Howard), with a winning performance from the fast-talking Keaton.

It was filmed on location in the Pittsburgh area, also with scenes shot in Tokyo and Argentina.

A short-lived, nine-episode TV series, based on the film, followed in 1987, with Scott Bakula as Hunt Stevenson, Gedde Watanabe reprising his role from the movie and Clint Howard (brother of Gung Ho movie director Ron Howard).

The cast are Michael Keaton as Hunt Stevenson, Gedde Watanabe as plant manager Takahara “Kaz” Kazihiro, George Wendt as factory worker Buster, John Turturro as factory worker Willie, Mimi Rogers as Hunt’s girlfriend Audrey, So Yamamura as Mr. Sakamoto, CEO of Assan Motors, Sab Shimono as Saito, Rick Overton as Googie, Clint Howard as Paul, Jihmi Kennedy as Junior, Michelle Johnson as Heather DiStefano, Rodney Kageyama as Ito, Rance Howard as Mayor Conrad Zwart, Patti Yasutake as Umeki Kazihiro, Jerry Tondo as Kazuo, and Robert Hammond as Auto worker.

Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,621

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