Born American is a 1986 Finnish film directed by Renny Harlin. It was originally supposed to star Chuck Norris but he backed out when filming was delayed by funding problems and his son, Mike Norris, landed the lead instead. This was at the time the most expensive film ever to have been made in Finland. The Finnish Board of Film Classification initially banned the movie due to excessive violence and anti-Soviet elements. Because of that, the movie had to be shortened 3.5 minutes before it was accepted for distribution. The premiere was December 19, 1986. The success of the film in the United States allowed Harlin to get his foot in the door in Hollywood, giving him his first American directorial work in the 1987 horror film Prison.