Sayonara (1957)
Douglass Watson, James Garner, Kent Smith, Marlon Brando, Martha Scott ... (see more) , Miiko Taka , Miyoshi Umeki , Patricia Owens , Red Buttons , Ricardo Montalban
Based on a novel by James Michener, Sayonara earned a fistful of Oscar® nominations (including Best Picture, Director, and Actor) in 1957 and wound up winning statuettes for supporting actors Red Buttons and Miyoshi Umeki. Marlon Brando plays a Korean War fighter pilot, the son of a general, reassig... (read more) Based on a novel by James Michener, Sayonara earned a fistful of Oscar® nominations (including Best Picture, Director, and Actor) in 1957 and wound up winning statuettes for supporting actors Red Buttons and Miyoshi Umeki. Marlon Brando plays a Korean War fighter pilot, the son of a general, reassigned to Japan, where fraternization with local women is taboo. After breaking off his engagement to another general's daughter, he finds himself falling for a Japanese entertainer (Miiko Taka), then struggling with his own bias. Subplots deal with other servicemen (played by Buttons and James Garner) who also fall for Japanese women. Directed by Joshua Logan from a script by Paul Osborn, the film takes a then-daring look at prejudice as well as post-war racial bias against the Japanese. Brando's Southern accent makes him sound like Matthew McConaughey, while Buttons is actually touching as tough, tender American struggling against racism. --Marshall Fine
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Unrated, 148 min.
Directed by:
Joshua Logan
Release Date: Dec 05, 1957
DVD Release Date: Sep 18, 2001
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on the whole i thought it was pretty good. there were things i didn't like about it - some stereotyping/cliches on both sides- but it was done pretty well. some great color footage of 1950's japan.
This is an excellent movie. It's a romance between an American Air Force pilot (Marlon Brando) and a Japanese showgirl (Miiko Taka) in the early 1950s. This is a character-driven movie, with strong performances all around. Taka is particularly pow... (read more) This is an excellent movie. It's a romance between an American Air Force pilot (Marlon Brando) and a Japanese showgirl (Miiko Taka) in the early 1950s. This is a character-driven movie, with strong performances all around. Taka is particularly powerful. This story takes place at a time when Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima must still have been potent reminders of agression and distrust. The racism protrayed in the film is very overt and very disturbing. For the most part, the characters are all people of good will, but they are bound by societal conventions in both cultures that forbid the kind of romances that were apparently common between American servicemen and Japanese women. What I found most moving were the scenes where Brando's and Taka's characters begin to realize that life is not about, or not merely about, one's occupation or doing what is expected of you. The only false note in the film was Ricardo Montalban playing a Japanese character. Neither his makeup nor his accent were convincing.
Very interesting Brando flick. His southern accent is pretty terrible, but he still acts with tremendous skill and makes everything look effortless. Pretty good take on racism during the Korean War. The most bizarre thing was the casting of Ricardo M... (read more) Very interesting Brando flick. His southern accent is pretty terrible, but he still acts with tremendous skill and makes everything look effortless. Pretty good take on racism during the Korean War. The most bizarre thing was the casting of Ricardo Montalban as a Japanese Kabuki actor. Just odd.
Such a beautiful movie! The scenery, the story,Marlon Brando, all of it was beautiful! It's a little long but well worth it. It's such a heart-wrenching and at the same time heartwarming story. It's definitely a must watch. I'm sure at the time this ... (read more) Such a beautiful movie! The scenery, the story,Marlon Brando, all of it was beautiful! It's a little long but well worth it. It's such a heart-wrenching and at the same time heartwarming story. It's definitely a must watch. I'm sure at the time this came out it was still a very controversial issue. I'm not sure why Ricardo Montalban was cast as a Japanese man, but he did make a sexy one! It was a great, sweet, beautiful movie!
Another stellar performance from Brando telling a story about people being against inter-racial marriage and how Brando overcomes this problem.
One of my favorite movies. I finally got around to reading the book and think the movie is much better than the book and seems more realistic. The acting is wonderful by everyone and should definitely be given a shot.
Set in Japan at the time of the Korean War, this is an interesting film about inter-racial marriage and racism. However, at times I felt it was being racist itself - like casting Ricardo Montalban as Japanese. What's up with that? I am also struck... (read more) Set in Japan at the time of the Korean War, this is an interesting film about inter-racial marriage and racism. However, at times I felt it was being racist itself - like casting Ricardo Montalban as Japanese. What's up with that? I am also struck by the naive notions of love in the 50s. For example, the Red Buttons character Airman Joe Kelly (in an oscar winning performance) says he is so deeply in love that he would give up his American citizen ship for his Japanese fiance. Later, we learn that she starts taking English lessons AFTER the wedding. What's up with that? I loved Brando. Patricia Owens is also tres hot as Brando's Southern Bell fiance before they break up and he goes native.
Brando delivers a fair performance in this film, but it's definitely not a movie that I will want to watch over and over again.
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