Gung Ho (film)
Encyclopedia
Gung Ho is a 1986
Ron Howard
comedy
film
, released by Paramount Pictures
, and starring Michael Keaton
and Gedde Watanabe
. The film's story portrayed the takeover of an American
car
plant by a Japan
ese corporation
(although the title of the film is actually an Americanized Chinese expression, for "work" and "together"). The film was rated PG-13 in the US and certified 15 in the UK.
takes over a failed American auto plant, differences between American and Japanese work ethics threaten to close the plant.
The local auto plant in Hadleyville, Pennsylvania
, which supplied most of the town's jobs, has been closed for nine months. Former foreman Hunt Stevenson (Michael Keaton
) goes to Tokyo to try to convince the Assan Motors Corporation to reopen the plant. The Japanese company agrees, and upon their arrival in the U.S., they take advantage of the desperate work force to institute many changes. The workers are not permitted a union
, are paid lower wages, are moved around within the factory so that each man learns every job, and are held to seemingly impossible standards of efficiency and quality. Adding to the strain in the relationship, the Americans also find humor in the demand that they do calisthenics
as a group each morning, and that the Japanese executives eat their lunches with chopsticks
and bathe together
in the river near the factory. The workers also display a poor work ethic and lackadaisical attitude towards quality control.
The Japanese executive in charge of the plant is Takahara Kazuhiro (Gedde Watanabe
), who has been a failure in his business career thus far because he is too lenient on his workers. When Hunt first meets Kazuhiro in Japan, Kazuhiro is being ridiculed by his peers, and being required to wear ribbons of shame. He has been given one final chance to redeem himself by making the American plant a success. Intent on becoming the strict manager his superiors expect, he gives Hunt a large promotion on the condition that he work as a liaison
between the Japanese management and the American workers, to smooth the transition and convince the workers to obey the new rules. More concerned with keeping his promotion than with the welfare of his fellow workers, Hunt does everything he can to trick the American workers into compliance, but the culture clash becomes too great and he begins to lose control of the men.
In an attempt to solve the problem, Hunt makes a deal with Kazuhiro: if the plant can produce 15,000 cars in one month, thereby making it as productive as the best Japanese auto plant, then the workers will all be given raises and jobs will be created for the remaining unemployed workers in the town. However, if the workers fall even one car short, they will get nothing. When Hunt calls an assembly to tell the workers about the deal, they balk at the idea of making so many cars in so short a time. Under pressure from the crowd, Hunt lies and says that if they make 13,000, they will get a partial raise. After nearly a month of working long hours toward a goal of 13,000—despite Hunt's pleas for them to aim for the full 15,000—the truth is discovered and the workers strike
.
Because of the strike, Assan Motors plans to abandon the factory again, which would mean the end of the town. Hunt responds by addressing his observations that the real reason the workers are facing such difficulties is because the Japanese have the work ethic that too many Americans have abandoned. While his audience is not impressed, Hunt, hoping to save the town and atone for his deception, and Kazuhiro, desperate to show his worth to his superiors, go back into the factory and begin to build cars by themselves. Inspired, the workers return and continue to work toward their goal, and pursue it with the level of diligence the Japanese managers had encouraged. Just before the final inspection, Hunt and the workers line up a number of incomplete cars in hopes of fooling the executives. The ruse fails when the car that Hunt had supposedly bought for himself falls apart when he attempts to drive it away, but the strict CEO is nonetheless impressed by the workers' performance and declares the goal met, calling them a "Good team."
As the end credits roll, the workers and management have compromised, with the latter agreeing to partially ease up on their requirements and pay the employees better while the workers agree to be more cooperative, such as participating in the morning calisthenics.
. Almost all of the Asian actors reprised their roles from the movie. Clint Howard
was the only other actor from the film to appear in the TV show.
The movie was released in Australia
under the title "Working Class Man", which was also the title of one of the songs
in the movie sung by Australian rocker Jimmy Barnes
.
The film also features small supporting roles by Clint Howard
, Rick Overton
, Sab Shimono
, Michelle Johnson
, Rance Howard
, Rodney Kageyama
and Patti Yasutake
.
and the most commonly-seen model is the Fiat Regata
. Some cars in the movie bore resemblance to the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon
twins (which were still in production at the time of the movie's release), while the car on the official movie poster bore some resemblance to the front end of the then-current model of the Chevrolet Cavalier
(though in actuality it is the front of a contemporary Dodge Charger
with a chrome grill added.) Coincidentally, the Cavalier was manufactured at Lordstown Assembly
, a short drive from where the bulk of Gung Ho was filmed.
The factory where the cars were produced was shot in Rosario, Argentina, while the majority of the rest of the movie was shot in central Beaver County, Pennsylvania
near Pittsburgh
, mostly in Beaver
, as well as neighboring Bridgewater
and Rochester
. Other portions of the movie, including shots of the Assan Motors plant were filmed at the old Mesta Machine Plant in West Homestead, Pennsylvania
.
Many references to Pittsburgh were made in the movie. Keaton, a native of nearby Coraopolis
closer to the city of Pittsburgh, would mention constantly in the movie (much to the chagrin of his friends) about leading the town's high school
basketball
team to the state championship in Pittsburgh. In reality, most PIAA
state championships in Pennsylvania
are played in Hershey
, which is more geographically central in the state and is near the state capital of Harrisburg
. The WPIAL
, a division of the PIAA whose jurisdiction covers the Pittsburgh metropolitan area (except for Pittsburgh Public Schools
, which has their own championships in PIAA District 7), does play their championship games in Pittsburgh, however. In addition, many extras
in the movie are seen wearing Pittsburgh Pirates
hats and Pittsburgh Steelers
apparel. One worker is even shown wearing a WDVE
t-shirt
, in reference to the popular classic rock
station in the city.
A notable casting choice is that of Soh Yamamura as Mr. Sakamoto, the fearsome CEO of Assan Motors. Yamamura played the role of fleet admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
in Richard Fleischer and Kinji Fukasaku's war film
Tora! Tora! Tora!
, another movie analyzing the complicated historical relationship between America and Japan.
1986 in film
-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
Ron Howard
Ron Howard
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, released by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, and starring Michael Keaton
Michael Keaton
Michael John Douglas , better known by the stage name Michael Keaton, is an American actor known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice . Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton's...
and Gedde Watanabe
Gedde Watanabe
Gedde Watanabe is an American theatre, film, and television actor.He was in several dramatic productions in high school, both acting and singing...
. The film's story portrayed the takeover of an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
plant by a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
(although the title of the film is actually an Americanized Chinese expression, for "work" and "together"). The film was rated PG-13 in the US and certified 15 in the UK.
Synopsis
When a Japanese automakerAutomotive industry
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
takes over a failed American auto plant, differences between American and Japanese work ethics threaten to close the plant.
The local auto plant in Hadleyville, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, which supplied most of the town's jobs, has been closed for nine months. Former foreman Hunt Stevenson (Michael Keaton
Michael Keaton
Michael John Douglas , better known by the stage name Michael Keaton, is an American actor known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice . Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton's...
) goes to Tokyo to try to convince the Assan Motors Corporation to reopen the plant. The Japanese company agrees, and upon their arrival in the U.S., they take advantage of the desperate work force to institute many changes. The workers are not permitted a union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
, are paid lower wages, are moved around within the factory so that each man learns every job, and are held to seemingly impossible standards of efficiency and quality. Adding to the strain in the relationship, the Americans also find humor in the demand that they do calisthenics
Calisthenics
Calisthenics are a form of aerobic exercise consisting of a variety of simple, often rhythmical, movements, generally using multiple equipment or apparatus. They are intended to increase body strength and flexibility with movements such as bending, jumping, swinging, twisting or kicking, using...
as a group each morning, and that the Japanese executives eat their lunches with chopsticks
Chopsticks
Chopsticks are small, often tapered, sticks used in pairs of equal length as the traditional eating utensils of China and its diaspora, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Northern provinces of Laos, Thailand and Burma. Generally believed to have originated in ancient China, they can also be found in some...
and bathe together
Public bathing
Public baths originated from a communal need for cleanliness. The term public may confuse some people, as some types of public baths are restricted depending on membership, gender, religious affiliation, or other reasons. As societies have changed, public baths have been replaced as private bathing...
in the river near the factory. The workers also display a poor work ethic and lackadaisical attitude towards quality control.
The Japanese executive in charge of the plant is Takahara Kazuhiro (Gedde Watanabe
Gedde Watanabe
Gedde Watanabe is an American theatre, film, and television actor.He was in several dramatic productions in high school, both acting and singing...
), who has been a failure in his business career thus far because he is too lenient on his workers. When Hunt first meets Kazuhiro in Japan, Kazuhiro is being ridiculed by his peers, and being required to wear ribbons of shame. He has been given one final chance to redeem himself by making the American plant a success. Intent on becoming the strict manager his superiors expect, he gives Hunt a large promotion on the condition that he work as a liaison
Liaison job
Liaison jobs are jobs that "link" two or more specialties. For example, "systems analyst" jobs work with customers and management to understand and document their automation needs and then transfer such information to computer programmers, who turn the collected information into working software...
between the Japanese management and the American workers, to smooth the transition and convince the workers to obey the new rules. More concerned with keeping his promotion than with the welfare of his fellow workers, Hunt does everything he can to trick the American workers into compliance, but the culture clash becomes too great and he begins to lose control of the men.
In an attempt to solve the problem, Hunt makes a deal with Kazuhiro: if the plant can produce 15,000 cars in one month, thereby making it as productive as the best Japanese auto plant, then the workers will all be given raises and jobs will be created for the remaining unemployed workers in the town. However, if the workers fall even one car short, they will get nothing. When Hunt calls an assembly to tell the workers about the deal, they balk at the idea of making so many cars in so short a time. Under pressure from the crowd, Hunt lies and says that if they make 13,000, they will get a partial raise. After nearly a month of working long hours toward a goal of 13,000—despite Hunt's pleas for them to aim for the full 15,000—the truth is discovered and the workers strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
.
Because of the strike, Assan Motors plans to abandon the factory again, which would mean the end of the town. Hunt responds by addressing his observations that the real reason the workers are facing such difficulties is because the Japanese have the work ethic that too many Americans have abandoned. While his audience is not impressed, Hunt, hoping to save the town and atone for his deception, and Kazuhiro, desperate to show his worth to his superiors, go back into the factory and begin to build cars by themselves. Inspired, the workers return and continue to work toward their goal, and pursue it with the level of diligence the Japanese managers had encouraged. Just before the final inspection, Hunt and the workers line up a number of incomplete cars in hopes of fooling the executives. The ruse fails when the car that Hunt had supposedly bought for himself falls apart when he attempts to drive it away, but the strict CEO is nonetheless impressed by the workers' performance and declares the goal met, calling them a "Good team."
As the end credits roll, the workers and management have compromised, with the latter agreeing to partially ease up on their requirements and pay the employees better while the workers agree to be more cooperative, such as participating in the morning calisthenics.
Other media
The film spawned a short-lived TV series of the same nameGung Ho (TV series)
Gung Ho was a short-lived TV series, based on the 1986 film of the same name. The series aired on ABC during the 1986-87 season.-Synopsis:...
. Almost all of the Asian actors reprised their roles from the movie. Clint Howard
Clint Howard
Clinton "Clint" Howard is an American film and television actor. He is a character actor with numerous brief appearances on television and films. He has played many bit parts in movies directed by his brother, actor-turned-director Ron Howard. He is also the uncle of actress Bryce Dallas Howard...
was the only other actor from the film to appear in the TV show.
The movie was released in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
under the title "Working Class Man", which was also the title of one of the songs
Working Class Man
"Working Class Man" is a song performed and made famous by Australian singer Jimmy Barnes. It was written by Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain. "Working Class Man" is generally considered Barnes' signature song as a solo artist....
in the movie sung by Australian rocker Jimmy Barnes
Jimmy Barnes
James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
.
Main cast
- Michael KeatonMichael KeatonMichael John Douglas , better known by the stage name Michael Keaton, is an American actor known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice . Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton's...
- Hunt Stevenson - Gedde WatanabeGedde WatanabeGedde Watanabe is an American theatre, film, and television actor.He was in several dramatic productions in high school, both acting and singing...
- Takahara Kazuhiro, the plant manager - George WendtGeorge WendtGeorge Robert Wendt III is an American actor, best known for the roles of Norm Peterson and Tug Clarke on the television shows Cheers and Modern Men.-Early life:...
- Buster, a factory worker and Hunt's friend - John TurturroJohn TurturroJohn Michael Turturro is an American actor, writer and director known for his roles in the films Do the Right Thing , Miller's Crossing , Barton Fink , Quiz Show , The Big Lebowski , O Brother, Where Art Thou? and the Transformers film series...
- Willie, another worker, also Hunt's friend - Mimi RogersMimi RogersMimi Rogers is an American movie actress and competitive poker player.-Early life:Rogers was born Miriam Spickler in Coral Gables, Florida, the daughter of Philip C...
- Audrey, Hunt's girlfriend - Soh Yamamura - Mr. Sakamoto, CEO of Assan Motors
The film also features small supporting roles by Clint Howard
Clint Howard
Clinton "Clint" Howard is an American film and television actor. He is a character actor with numerous brief appearances on television and films. He has played many bit parts in movies directed by his brother, actor-turned-director Ron Howard. He is also the uncle of actress Bryce Dallas Howard...
, Rick Overton
Rick Overton
Richard "Rick" Overton is an American screenwriter, actor and comedian. His writing credits include Dennis Miller Live, and his acting credits include Willow and The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne.-Life and career:...
, Sab Shimono
Sab Shimono
Sab Shimono is an American actor who has appeared in dozens of movies and television shows in character roles.-Career:An accomplished stage actor, he has appeared on Broadway and in regional theaters including San Francisco's American Conservatory Theatre and Berkeley Repertory Theatre...
, Michelle Johnson
Michelle Johnson (actress)
Michelle Johnson is an American actress, probably best known for her role in Blame It on Rio.-Career:Director Stanley Donen signed her, as a 17-year-old, to appear as Michael Caine's love interest in the romantic comedy film Blame It on Rio...
, Rance Howard
Rance Howard
Rance Howard is an American actor who has starred in film and on television.-Life and career:Howard was born Harold Rance Beckenholdt in Oklahoma, the son of Ethel Cleo and Engel Beckenholdt, a farmer. He changed his name to "Rance Howard" when he became an actor. He married Jean Speegle Howard...
, Rodney Kageyama
Rodney Kageyama
Rodney Kageyama is an American stage, film and TV actor. He is a Nisei Japanese American .In 2007, Kageyama was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He underwent chemotherapy and as of spring 2008 was declared cancer-free.-Theatre:...
and Patti Yasutake
Patti Yasutake
Patti Yasutake is an American film and television actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Nurse Alyssa Ogawa in the Star Trek universe....
.
Filming
Though the cars used in the movie were supposedly built by the fictional Assan Motors (the name being an obvious play on the real-life Nissan Motor Company), they are actually made by FiatFiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
and the most commonly-seen model is the Fiat Regata
Fiat Regata
The Fiat Regata is the saloon version of the Fiat Ritmo small family car, produced by Italian automaker Fiat. It was produced from 1983 to 1990, corresponding to the post-facelift Ritmo. The Regata had a choice of three gasoline and two diesel engines...
. Some cars in the movie bore resemblance to the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon
Dodge Omni
The Dodge Omni and the similar Plymouth Horizon were front wheel drive cars introduced by the Dodge and Plymouth divisions of the Chrysler Corporation in North America in 1978, and were based on a European Simca-based design of the same name...
twins (which were still in production at the time of the movie's release), while the car on the official movie poster bore some resemblance to the front end of the then-current model of the Chevrolet Cavalier
Chevrolet Cavalier
The Chevrolet Cavalier was a compact automobile produced from 1982 to 2005 by General Motors. Built on the company's J platform, the Cavalier was one of the best-selling cars in the United States throughout its life.- Predecessors :...
(though in actuality it is the front of a contemporary Dodge Charger
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is an American automobile manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler. There have been several different Dodge vehicles, built on three different platforms and sizes, all bearing the Charger nameplate...
with a chrome grill added.) Coincidentally, the Cavalier was manufactured at Lordstown Assembly
Lordstown Assembly
The Lordstown Complex is a General Motors automobile factory in Lordstown, Ohio comprising three facilities: Vehicle Assembly, Metal Center, and Paint Shop. The plant opened in 1966. Lordstown currently builds the global Chevrolet Cruze compact car....
, a short drive from where the bulk of Gung Ho was filmed.
The factory where the cars were produced was shot in Rosario, Argentina, while the majority of the rest of the movie was shot in central Beaver County, Pennsylvania
Beaver County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 181,412 people, 72,576 households, and 50,512 families residing in the county. The population density was 418 people per square mile . There were 77,765 housing units at an average density of 179 per square mile...
near Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, mostly in Beaver
Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver is a borough in and the county seat of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, at the confluence of the Beaver and Ohio Rivers. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 4,775, having dropped from 5,641 in 1940....
, as well as neighboring Bridgewater
Bridgewater, Pennsylvania
Bridgewater is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 739 at the 2000 census. It is best known as the home of the Bruster's Ice Cream chain. A few scenes in the 1986 movie Gung Ho were also shot in Bridgewater...
and Rochester
Rochester, Pennsylvania
Rochester is a borough in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located northwest of Pittsburgh, it is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The population was 4,014 at the 2000 census....
. Other portions of the movie, including shots of the Assan Motors plant were filmed at the old Mesta Machine Plant in West Homestead, Pennsylvania
West Homestead, Pennsylvania
West Homestead is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, southeast of Pittsburgh, on the Monongahela River. Heavy industries associated with nearby steel mills existed here. Established were axle works, brickworks, and manufactories of machinery, car wheels, etc. In 1910, 3,009 people lived...
.
Many references to Pittsburgh were made in the movie. Keaton, a native of nearby Coraopolis
Coraopolis, Pennsylvania
Coraopolis is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 5,677 at the 2010 census. In 1940 the population peaked at 11,086. It is a small community located to the west of Pittsburgh, along the Ohio River and to the east of the Pittsburgh International Airport...
closer to the city of Pittsburgh, would mention constantly in the movie (much to the chagrin of his friends) about leading the town's high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team to the state championship in Pittsburgh. In reality, most PIAA
Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. is one of the governing bodies of high school and junior high school sports for the state of Pennsylvania, United States....
state championships in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
are played in Hershey
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey is a census-designated place in Derry Township, Dauphin County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The community is located 14 miles east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
, which is more geographically central in the state and is near the state capital of Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. The WPIAL
Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League
The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League is an interscholastic athletic association in Western Pennsylvania. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The league is colloquially known as "WIP-ee-al"...
, a division of the PIAA whose jurisdiction covers the Pittsburgh metropolitan area (except for Pittsburgh Public Schools
Pittsburgh Public Schools
Pittsburgh Public Schools is the public school district in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA and adjacent Mount Oliver.The combined land area of these municipalities is with a population of 342,503 according to the 2000 census. In August 2005, the superintendent became Mark Roosevelt. His tenure ends...
, which has their own championships in PIAA District 7), does play their championship games in Pittsburgh, however. In addition, many extras
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
in the movie are seen wearing Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
hats and Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
apparel. One worker is even shown wearing a WDVE
WDVE
WDVE is a mainstream rock music formatted radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA at 102.5 MHz. It is often referred to by Pittsburghers as simply "DVE." WDVE's transmitter is located on Pittsburgh's North Side...
t-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
, in reference to the popular classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
station in the city.
A notable casting choice is that of Soh Yamamura as Mr. Sakamoto, the fearsome CEO of Assan Motors. Yamamura played the role of fleet admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Isoroku Yamamoto
was a Japanese Naval Marshal General and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and a student of Harvard University ....
in Richard Fleischer and Kinji Fukasaku's war film
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Tora! Tora! Tora!
is a 1970 American-Japanese war film that dramatizes the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, to the extent these facts were known at the time of production. The film was directed by Richard Fleischer and stars an all-star cast, including So Yamamura, E.G...
, another movie analyzing the complicated historical relationship between America and Japan.