SimonJack "Yanks" is a welcome addition to World War II movies that focus on the home front. In this case though, the home front is England, not the U.S. or Canada. Other films were made about the people on the home front on this side of the pond. Those about the people at home in England had a more precarious feel because the war exploded over them most nights as German bombs and then rockets burst on the civilian population. This film is unique in its exclusive focus on the American GIs and the English women. We follow three men and three women for several months from late 1943 until the GIs' departure for the Normandy invasion on D-Day, June 6, 1944. "Yanks" just skirts the seedy side of mass relocation of men in uniform away from home. Instead, it looks at the close relations developed between some Yanks and British women. So, these are more than trysts, or romantic interludes. They are three stories of love. In all three of these relationships, the Americans mostly behave and respect the local women. They learn something about England and the English. And, the women, their families and other Brits meet some Americans who mostly are gentlemen. At one point, after Jean Moreton (played by Lisa Eichhorn) has brought Matt (played by Richard Gere) home for dinner, her mother (played by Rachel Roberts) comments to Jean that she could see what Jean sees in him – he's kind and respectful. Part of the love stories involve the families, the British people and the country. The American GIs began arriving in Great Britain in 1942. The first were there primarily to build air bases in the eastern part of England. By Christmas 1942, there were about 60,000 American servicemen in England. That number would swell to more than two million in little more than a year. Many Brits were initially suspicious of the Americans. One reason was because the pay for the GIs was five times more than British troops received. The GIs bore gifts of food and niceties that the English were having to ration or do without. But, by Christmas that year, the British brass and the American commanders urged the Americans to spend Christmas at home, with a British family. The GIs were to sit in the place of sons and brothers who were off at war themselves. According to a December 2013 article in the Daily Mail, "Families issued so many invitations there were 50 for each GI." The GIs were given ration packs to share with their hosts.When three million men from somewhere else spend time in one's country, there surely will be some problems. But the Americans were tough on their own who got into drunken brawls or who caused fights or disruptions with the local people. More often, GIs became friends with pub owners, host families and others they met. That's what this movie is about. In some areas, Brits opened their homes to GIs where there wasn't sufficient base housing. In an email letter to the editor after the Daily Mail article, a former civilian employee of a military paper said that 10 years earlier he had taken a call from an elderly British man who was hoping to find the six men he and his wife had housed over a two-year period. The emailer said she ran a story on it in the military publication. "About two months later I received a huge bouquet of flowers. The accompanying letter thanked me and except for one who had passed away all the soldiers got in contact with them. They had a genuine affection for those men."The Daily Mail article said there were "9,000 babies born out of wedlock as a result of GI liaisons. And, about 70,000 British women became GI war brides. After the war, the U.S. Army provided free passage for the war brides to start their new lives in America. Some reviewers build up a phrase that had become known around England during the war. The Yanks were said to be "overpaid, oversexed, and over here." Historian Juliet Gardiner wrote a book that used that in its title in 1992. It looked at the ongoing social impact from the massive movement of three million men from one culture to another, where the native population of same-age men was gone. In 2004, she wrote another book, "Wartime: Britain 1939-1945." It looked at all the many different influences and effects of England's war experiences at home. In her research Gardiner found that that expression seldom appeared anywhere in writing or other media after the war. Yet everyone who was 10 years old at the end of the war would have known and heard it. So, she concluded it was a short-term catch phrase that wasn't taken too seriously and that was soon forgotten. When one reads all the other problems and difficulties the English had – constant rocket bombings, relocated children, orphaned children, rationing, and so much more, it's easy to see how the catch phrase about the Yanks was just a fad or phase by some folks who were soon to forget it. I highly recommend this movie. It's a nice look at some good GIs. And it's an empathetic look at the resilient and solid British people who endured six years of real hardship, worry and loss.

jvdesuit1 I enjoyed this movie and it moved me a lot. May be I'm too sentimental and romantic. I think what this movie shows perfectly is this over excitement of all those guys who know that this could be their last days of joy and amusement.D-Day is near, they know although the date is still a secret. They know that when they'll cross the channel many will loose their lives only a few minutes after they landed.That's what is the film about. Those guys when they go back in their barracks would probably have nightmares, what do we know of what was going in their heads, they were lonely and needed something to overcome their fears. Some were reckless, others found happiness and kindness far from their home and families.The cast is excellent and Gere and his comrade are excellent and so true in their acting.Yes a great movie.

ianlouisiana Back in his old stamping ground of Northern England,Mr Schlesinger reverts to what he knows best - the portrayal of working - class English people,bloody - minded,loyal,funny,kind,often angry and raging at the machine. Yes "Yanks" is ostensibly about the impact on a small English town of large numbers of American soldiers prior to the invasion of Europe in 1944,but it is the native population who make the greatest impression on the viewer. All the more ironic then that the female lead,Miss Eichhorn should be an American,albeit one with a totally convincing accent...far more so than many who grace our TV screens and seem to think that a RADA all - purpose "Northern" is anything more than derisory and even insulting. Mr.Gere has a boyish charm as an army baker(possibly the least warlike job in the military)who falls for Miss Eichhorn despite her being seriously involved with a long - term boyfriend presently in the British Army(the splendid Mr Thompson). Scacely surprisingly this does not meet with the approval of the girl's mother(the tragic Miss Roberts)and much of the tension of "Yanks" is in the conflict between mother and daughter. Much less convincing is the middle - class romance between Miss Redgrave and Mr Devane which lacks passion(although not lust) and neither character is in any way lifelike. The film was not much liked on its release in 1979,but distance has led to a certain enchantment as the period fades further into history and the fashion amongst certain British classes to affect disdain for Americans in general and the American military in particular has grown in inverse proportion to the average Brits dogged determination to,perhaps grudgingly like the outgoing,generous,amiable,and well - meaning Yanks.As in 1944 so in 2013. There is not so much love about that we can afford to discard it. That was the message of "A kind of loving" set in peacetime England,and it is the message of "Yanks",set in a time of hatred.

mmunier I gave 6 stars but I'm sure the first hour would be worth another 3. That's right I missed the first hour! I have not been to war but did 18 month of military service in 1962 and also seen many war movies. And I appreciated very much this movie. What caught my attention as I turned on the TV was someone looking much like Richard Gere... In such a movie? I had no idea so kept on watching and enjoyed every minutes of it. Yes I like Gere's effort both he and his "girl" gave an excellent and very believable performance. I won't repeat some of the previous comments already said about some very impressive scenes but it's all there. Oh I did not say, yes I'm a fan of Richard Gere and thanks to IMDb I know a lot more about him now. I'd like him to make a movie call "the day of the gerbil" It could be very entertaining and be use as a counter pay-back. Well It's really 9 stars for me