(From Wikipedia)…

The film is set in West Berlin during the Cold War, but before the construction of the Berlin Wall, and politics is predominant in the setup. Diamond and Wilder’s social satire and sharp humor skewers targets on all sides of the divide —capitalists and communists, Americans, Germans, and Russians, men and women alike exhibit their own weaknesses and quirky foibles. As in Avanti! (1972), the humour of the film is partly based on the contrast between people from different cultures.

C. R. “Mac” MacNamara is a high-ranking executive in the Coca-Cola Company, assigned to West Berlin after a business fiasco a few years earlier in the Middle East (about which he is still bitter). Nevertheless, Mac is angling to become head of Western European Coca-Cola Operations, based in London. After working on an arrangement to introduce Coke into the Soviet Union, Mac receives a call from his boss, W.P. Hazeltine in Atlanta. Scarlett Hazeltine, the boss’s hot-blooded 17-year-old socialite daughter, is coming to Berlin and Mac receives the unenviable task of taking care of this young whirlwind.

An expected two-week stay develops into two months, and Mac discovers just why Scarlett is enamored of Berlin—she surprises him by announcing that she’s married to a young man, Otto Piffl, who happens to be an East German Communist with ardent “anti-Yankee” views. The socialist couple are bound for Moscow to make a new life for themselves (“They’ve assigned us a magnificent apartment, just a short walk from the bathroom!”). Since Hazeltine and his wife are coming to Berlin to collect their daughter the very next day, this is obviously a disaster of monumental proportions, and Mac deals with it as any good capitalist would — by framing the young Communist firebrand and having him picked up by the Stasi, the East German secret police, who later force Otto to sign a confession that he’s an American spy (after finally cracking from repeated exposure to the song, Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini during interrogation).

Under pressure from his stern and disapproving wife (who wants to take her family back to live in the U.S.), and with the revelation that Scarlett is pregnant, Mac sets out to bring Otto back with the help of his new Russian business associates. With the boss on the way, he finds that his only chance is to turn Otto into a son-in-law in good standing — which means, among other things, making him a capitalist with an aristocratic pedigree (albeit contrived). In the end, the Hazeltines approve of their new son-in-law (upon which Mac learns from Hazeltine that Otto will be named the new head of Western European operations—with Mac getting a promotion to VP of Procurement (back in Atlanta)) Mac reconciles with his family at the airport, and to celebrate his promotion, offers to buy his family a Coke. Ironically, after handing out the Cokes to his family, he realizes upon inspection that the final bottle he takes for himself is actually Pepsi-Cola.

Watch full-length movie…

Trivia Tid-Bits…

• At one point MacNamara, played by James Cagney, threatens Otto with half a grapfruit so that the scene resembles the famous one in The Public Enemy, Cagney pushed into Mae Clarke’s face.
• Red Buttons, in a small role as an MP, does a Cagney imitation to James Cagney.
• After he learns Scarlett is pregnant, James Cagney moans, “Mother of mercy, is this the end of Rico?” This was Edward G. Robinson’s famous line from Little Caesar.
• The voice of Count von Droste Schattenburg (played on screen by Hubert von Meyerinck) is that of Sig Ruman.
• The building of the Berlin Wall had begun in the night of August 13, 1961, right through the set at the Brandenburger Tor. The team, discovering the change in the morning, had to move to Munich to shoot the missing scenes on the parking lot of the Bavaria Film Studios, where a copy of the lower half of the Brandenburger Tor had to be built.
• Billy Wilder made James Cagney do over 30 takes of a scene because Cagney kept saying “coat and striped pants” instead of “morning coat and striped pants.”
• In James Cagney’s autobiography, he says that Horst Buchholz was the only actor he really hated working with because he was uncooperative and tried all kinds of scene-stealing moves, which Cagney depended on Billy Wilder to correct. Had Wilder not firmly directed Bucholz, Cagney said that he “was going to knock Buchholz on his ass, which at several points I would have been very happy to do”.
• At the “Grand Hotel Potemkin”, the band plays the song “Yes, We Have No Bananas” (in German of course). This song is used in Billy Wilder’s previous film, Sabrina
• Pamela Tiffin was reportedly having trouble acting with such experienced performers. Legend has it that James Cagney helped her by giving her the famous advice about acting: “Walk into a room. Plant yourself. Look the other fella in the eye and tell the truth.”
• When Billy Wilder was at Paramount, he often clashed with an executive at the studio named Y. Frank Freeman. Freeman was from Georgia and would often brag about his extensive holdings of Coca-Cola stock. That relationship was part of the inspiration for this project.
• In addition to the “Yes, We Have No Bananas” song, Billy Wilder also borrowed the climactic switcheroo from Sabrina right down to the hat and umbrella. Piffl goes to London instead of MacNamara, just as Linus Larrabee goes to Paris instead of David Larrabee.
• The building of the Berlin Wall during production badly hurt the film’s marketing in Germany. It was very ill-received by German audiences and had minimal success during its initial run.
• When asked in 1974 why he made a film about Coca Cola, Billy Wilder responded, “I just think Coca-Cola to be funny. And when I drink it, it seems even funnier to me.”
• James Cagney had such a negative experience making this picture that he retired from films for 20 years until his cameo in Ragtime.
• Joan Crawford (then on the board of PepsiCo) telephoned director Billy Wilder to protest the movie’s Coca-Cola connection. Wilder then added a final scene in which James Cagney buys four bottles of Coke from a vending machine. The last bottle out of the machine isn’t Coke – but another brand… of Pepsi.
• The instruction at the front of Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond’s screenplay reads: “This piece must be played molto furioso”. Suggested speed: 110 miles an hour – on the curves – 140 miles an hour in the straightways. “
• At one point Cagney says, “I wish I were in hell with my back broken,” a line Billy Wilder used in at least two of his earlier films. Humphrey Bogart says the same line in “Sabrina”, and Akim Tamiroff says a slight variation, “I wish I were in a black pit with my back broken,” in “Five Graves to Cairo”.
• The Brandenburg Gate figures rather prominently in this film. It and the rest of the border between East and West Berlin were closed on August 13, 1961, only months before this film was released.
• To cause problems for Otto Piffl (Horst Buchholz), James Cagney gives him a cuckoo clock that plays “Yankee Doodle Dandy” causing Buchholz to get arrested by the East Germany police. Jimmy Cagney played the lead role in Yankee Doodle Dandy, the story of George M. Cohan, the composer of “Yankee Doodle Dandy.”

Selected IMDB.com User Reviews…

James Cagney is at the top of his game giving a machine gun like delivery of his lines, once again, demonstrating his status as a legendary star.

Add to this, a cast of good character actors, some familiar like Leon Askin and Red Buttons and some not so familiar. All in all a cast that helps makes a film that delivers laughs in rapid fire succession!

Included in this cast is Horst Buchholz who is especially funny as the loony communist. Now, someone mentioned that Jack Lemmon thought a regular comedian should have been put in that role. I think that would have made the character less funny. It needs the “serious” touch that Buchholz gives Otto that really makes his statements even more ludicrous and therefore even funnier. A good example is the scene where Otto makes his comments on Americanism while being dragged out of the room, “America, unemployment, discrimination, gangsterism, juvenile delinquency, but under our new 20 year plan, we will catch up with you!”.

If any one has not seen this gem, my advice is look for it on TV, buy it, rent it, just watch it! You won’t stop laughing!

———-

Billy Wilder’s hilarious Cold War comedy that only gets better with each viewing. It does help some, of course, to know the politics of the region and of that time period. Irregardless, one need not be a Hoover Institute Fellow to pick these up quickly. James Cagney, proving his acting range was virtually borderless, turns in a superb performance as the soft drink exec seeking an upper echelon corporate job.

With a terrific supporting cast, Cagney’s corporate dreams are about to explode, when the boss’ wild daughter flies into Berlin. Creating havoc, and not to mention more stress on his wounded marriage, the daughter runs off cavorting about in the Eastern Sector.

Corporate ambitions, romance and strong politics collide in this volatile, hilarious, extremely fast paced comedy. This is how a real comedic farce is put together, and it goes off without a hitch, all the way to the last gag. There’s also some great homages/inside jokes to boot. A comedy classic, and another gem from Mr. Wilder.

Desireless is French singer Claudie Fritsch-Mentrop who’s voice is one of the most beautiful in the world. Her track Voyage Voyage was released in 1986 and hit number-one in many European and Asian music single charts, selling more than 5 million copies. It still remains to be one of the most sought-after tracks on the playlist of countless radio stations (on the airwaves and internet) around the world. Every year, it seems, Voyage Voyage is still being discovered by new listeners who hear it for the first time. The track is a perfect blend of emotional French singing/song-writing and Italo-disco that drives and carries the song to a whole new level of synth-pop, becoming essentially a romantic and electronic dance. Personally, I prefer the Britmix version over the 12″ Mix of Voyage Voyage. The lead/front vocals are dryer and not as drenched in reverb, thus adding more warmth and depth with closer presence of emotions to the overall delivery and feel of the tune. The same goes for the background vocals, hearing more clearly all the “aah” and “voyaaah voyaaah” vocal layers. The tight, melodic bassline and its underlying syncopated synth chord chops/stabs also have more presence than the 12″ Mix … not only fitting perfectly around and under the vocals & drums but also driving the entire Britmix with more oomph … making the track more serious and groovy. Voyage Voyage is one of those rare successful synth-pop tracks that is true through and through. It always makes me close my eyes and sing passionately along with Claudie.

Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” (Britmix)…

Artist: Desireless
Title: Voyage Voyage (Britmix)
Year: 1988
Label: CBC Records

Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” (Britmix) (mp3)

Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” (12″ Mix)…

Artist: Desireless
Title: Voyage Voyage (12″ Mix)
Year: 1986
Label: CBC Records

Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” (12″ Mix) (mp3)

Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” Lyrics (French)…

Au dessus des vieux volcans,
Glisse des ailes
Sous les tapis du vent,
Voyage, voyage,
Éternellement.
De nuages en marécages,
De vent d’Espagne en pluie d’équateur,
Voyage, voyage,
Vole dans les hauteurs
Au dessus des capitales,
Des idées fatales,
Regarde l’océan…

Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour,
(Voyage, voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l’espace inouï de l’amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l’eau sacrée d’un fleuve indien,
(Voyage, voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.

Sur le Gange ou l’Amazone,
Chez les blacks, chez les sikhs,
Chez les jaunes,
Voyage, voyage
Dans tout le royaume.
Sur les dunes du Sahara,
Des îles Fidji au Fujiyama,
Voyage, voyage,
Ne t’arrêtes pas.
Au dessus des barbelés,
Des coeurs bombardés,
Regarde l’océan.

Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour,
(Voyage, voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l’espace inouï de l’amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l’eau sacrée d’un fleuve indien,
(Voyage, voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.

Voyage, voyage
Plus loin que la nuit et le jour,
(Voyage, voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Dans l’espace inouî de l’amour.
Voyage, voyage
Sur l’eau sacrée d’un fleuve indien,
(Voyage, voyage)
Voyage (voyage)
Et jamais ne revient.

Plus loin que la nuit et le jour
(Voyage, voyage)

Desireless – “Voyage Voyage” Lyrics (English translation)…

On top of the old volcanos,
Slip of the wings
Under the carpets of the wind,
Journey, journey,
Eternally.
Clouds in marshes,
Of wind of Spain in rain of equator,
Journey, journey,
Fly in the heights
On top of the capitals,
Fatal ideas,
Look at the ocean…

Journey, journey
Further that the night and the day,
(Journey, journey)
Journey (journey)
In the space of the love.
Journey, journey
On the crowned water of an Indian river,
(Journey, journey)
Journey (journey)
And never does not return.

On Ganges or the Amazon,
At the blacks, the sikhs,
At the yellows,
Journey, journey
In all the kingdom.
On the dunes of the Sahara,
Fiji islands in Fujiyama,
Journey, journey,
Do not stop you.
With the top of the barbed wires,
Bombarded hearts,
Look at the ocean.

Journey, journey
Further that the night and the day,
(Journey, journey)
Journey (journey)
In the space of the love.
Journey, journey
On the crowned water of an Indian river,
(Journey, journey)
Journey (journey)
And never does not return.

Journey, journey
Further that the night and the day,
(Journey, journey)
Journey (journey)
In the space of the love.
Journey, journey
On the crowned water of an Indian river,
(Journey, journey)
Journey (journey)
And never does not return.

Further that the night and the day
(Journey, journey)

It’s been five long years since DJ Veronica made a new mix set. She was over here at my home-studio less than two weeks ago, having her latest mix-set It’s About Time mastered. It took me over 10 days to come up with and edit a really super cool intro at the beginning of the mix, after the mastering was finished. I super spliced and edited two tracks together with my own voice on the vocoder on top of it … plus a lot of audio engineering and automation, such as the panning. The two tracks used as intro were (1) Grace Jones – “Slave To The Rhythm” and (2) Kano – “It’s A War.”

DJ Veronica – “It’s About Time”…

Artist: DJ Veronica
Title: It’s About Time (DJ mix set)
Year: 2010
Comment: Intro edits & vocoder by Hashmoder; mastered by Hashmoder (Omar Hash)

DJ Veronica – “It’s About Time”" (mp3)
http://homepage.mac.com/cavecybernation/DJVeronica_ItsAboutTime.mp3 (link path)

From DJ Veronica to you…

After spending 17 glorious days and nights in Whistler during the 2010 Olympics, I became motivated to make a new CD.  Now this is something that I used to do just about every month back in the 90s, and I have released many CDs in the past, but for some reason, which to this date I cannot explain, I have not made a CD in five years.

When my girlfriends and I were at the Chalet, apart from numerous suitcases of clothes and ski equipment, we also brought up all the sound gear and set it up in the living room where one could mix a CD and look out onto the snow-covered trees while the living room transformed itself into a dance-floor.  With audiences such as Team France and Team Mexico and a few local Whistler DJs, the party never stopped.  Sarah-Hannah and I had some great mix sessions together and we often could not stop well into the wee hours of the morning. Having DJ Rhiannon as your little sister is also a great motivator for me as she is always putting out killer mixes!

Whenever I would hit the slopes or the patio of La Bocca it seemed there was always a soundtrack coursing through my mind.  I was again inspired.  And I mean really inspired.  I have been playing out at nightclubs for over 13 years in places such as New York, Hong Kong, Spain, Australia, Seattle, Oregon and I have held many residencies of course in my hometown of Vancouver, but for some reason the urge to make a new mix faded a bit…but it’s now back with a vengeance!

When I came back from Whistler, I put this mix together one evening over a glass of wine while my little dog Hana watched me curiously, and occasionally jumping up for me to lift her up and do a little dance with her.  I think she likes this mix, and I hope that you do too.  It’s perfect for driving in the car or listening to after the club at an impromptu after-party.  It’s not exactly what I play out at clubs, as I usually play a little harder, but this is a collection of what I am really into now, and I can say that without a doubt this is the best mix I have ever made. A big thanks to Hashmoder for taking the time to master this CD.  You’re the best…

…DJ Veronica

DJ Veronica Photo Gallery…

Click here to watch movie fullscreen in different window

Hall & Oats – “Out Of Touch” (Dub Version)…

Artist: Hall & Oats
Title: Out Of Touch (Dub Version)
Year: 1984
Label: RCA

Hall & Oats – “Out Of Touch” (Dub Version) (mp3)

Artist: INXS
Title: Need You Tonight (Mendelsohn 12″ Mix)
Year: 1987
Label: Warner-Pioneer Corporation

INXS – “Need You Tonight” (Mendelsohn 12″ Mix) (mp3)

Artist: The System
Title: You Are In My System (Bilingual Dub Version)
Year: 1983
Label: Mirage

The System – “You Are In My System” (Bilingual Dub Version) (mp3)

The System- “You Are In My System” (Album Version)…

Artist: The System
Title: You Are In My System (Album Version)
Year: 1983
Label: Mirage

The System – “You Are In My System” (Album Version) (mp3)

Thompson Twins – “Hold Me Now” (12″ Version)…

Artist: Thompson Twins
Title: Hold Me Now (12″ Version)
Year: 1983
Label: Arista

Thompson Twins – “Hold Me Now” (12″ Version) (mp3)

Artist: Thompson Twins
Title: Doctor! Doctor! (Long Version)
Year: 1984
Label: Arista

Thompson Twins – “Doctor! Doctor!” (Long Version) (mp3)

Artist: Thompson Twins
Title: In The Name Of Love (12″ Version)
Year: 1982
Label: Arista

Thompson Twins – “In The Name Of Love” (12″ Version) (mp3)