Sayonara

Rating:
Summary: heart breaking and heart warming, tragic and triumphant
Review: I've seen this movie many times over a span of many years to me its story is timeless and ageless and could be taking place as easily now as during the Koren war. It is a story of love and courage, of fear and hate. The acting is excellent and believable and has all the depth of emotions of the book itself. I hope it becomes available on video, it is a treasure!

Rating:
Summary: An Obsession With Marlon Brando
Review: It's sad, but I'm obsessed with Marlon Brando. While everybody else was drooling over JTT and Leo DiCaprio, I was staring at the millions of pictures I'd gotten from various sites. And I mean, the young Marlon Brando. The Marlon Brando from 1950 (The Men) to 1958 (The Young Lions). In that time frame, he was cutest in Sayonara, and Sayonara was also his highest grossing film until the Godfather came along. Personally, I think Sayonara was the greatest movie he ever made. It touched every emotion from anger to romance to complete tragedy. And Brando should have won for best actor, though he was beat out by Humphrey Bogart (I think, don't quote me). Anyway, the movie is awesome, the man is attractive to no end, and now you have no reason not to see it! Do so, and fall in love.

Rating:
Summary: I love this film
Review: I`ve seen this movie many times on cable and am always charmed by it.The delightful way the japanese women talk and Brando`s southern accent and dialogue is both charming and funny.James Garner and Red Buttons both give great supporting performances.This film will make you laugh and tug at your heartstrings.Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Exotic & Romantic
Review: Lend this VDO tape from the Free library of Philadelphia. Quite a good story. Brando is a pin-up boy in the US Airforce in Korean War, unintentionally in love with a Japanese show girl. I cannot belieive he can be funny as much as sexy ! Lots of Japanses beautiful shows and custumes, exotic asian traditions. The Japanese leading lady is also cute and she gave a good performing. Romantic and touching, really woth seeing if you are a romantic fan.

The picture quality is not so good though, not very sharp, may be normal for a classic movie.

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful and touching film
Review: Marlon Brando plays a Korean War pilot who has been ordered to rest in Japan, because his fiance's father is the commanding general. There he becomes pals with James Garner and the two of them meet Japanese dancers. Socializing with the locals is strictly forbidden, but Brando gradually falls in love with the star dancer. Their relationship must be kept secret, but Brando finds this impossible when one of his men, played by Red Buttons, marries a Japanese woman and is subjected to harsh army prejudice.

Brando is very good as the southern charmer, but Red Buttons and Miyoshi Umeki steal the show as the married couple who face tragedy in an unforgettable scene. The beauty of cherry blossoms and kimonos and the cruelty of biogtry combine to make a lovely film you'll want to see again and again.

Rating:
Summary: Sensitive Love Story
Review: Marlon Brando stars in "Sayonara," a 1957 love story based on the James Michener novel that tackles the issue of interracial romance. Brando plays a Major in the Air Force stationed in Korea, who also happens to be the son of a big-shot General and is wooing the daughter (played by Patricia Owens) of a Lt. General. When one of the men under his command (Red Buttons) declares his intentions of marrying a Japanese woman (Miyoshi Umeki), Brando tries to talk him out of it. When Brando and Buttons are transferred to Japan, Brando re-ignites his relationship with his girlfriend who is living there with her family. However, he also starts to realize that he's never explored what he actually wants in life - everything has been dictated by his family and social position. He then surprises even himself when he is attracted to a mysterious Japanese dancer, played by Miiko Taka.

"Sayonara" is surprisingly effective, both as a romance and as an "issues" movie; it really stands up better than most "issues" movies of its time. Most of the reason is because of the superb acting; Buttons and Umeki won Oscars for their supporting roles. In addition, Brando gives an under-stated, sensitive performance in his Oscar-nominated role. Fortunately, the outstanding acting allows the audience to believe Brando's transformation as well as the relationships that form, which is crucial for this film. Director Joshua Logan also does great work here, especially as he's best known for rather over-heated, unsubtle movies such as "Bus Stop" and "Picnic." The cinematography is exquisite and the segments in the Japanese theaters are wonderfully staged. Although "Sayonara" is a bit on the long side and probably could have used some editing, it's a first-class drama. Highly recommended.


Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Introduction To Another World
Review: My parents took me to Radio City Music Hall on Christmas day 1957. This is the film that was playing that very cold and snowy Christmas day. It made me fall in love with everthing Japanese. I can't count the times that I have watched this video. The performances, the cinematography, everthing about it is unforgettable.

Rating:
Summary: A Lack Of Women's Rights In Postwar Japan
Review: SAYONARA is a great love story about American servicemen in Japan during the early 1950's. Viewers may be shocked by the racial attitudes of the American military brass and also by the treatment of women in Japanese society.

Academy awards were won by Red Buttons and Myoshi Umeki for their supporting roles. The movie was adapted from a novel by James Michener who had broad knowledge of postwar Japan.

Rating:
Summary: Three Love Stories In One
Review: SAYONARA is a love story. Actually the movie gives us three separate love stories but focuses mainly on just two of them. Major Lloyd Gruver (Marlon Brando) is a West Point graduate who is the son of a general and is engaged to a daughter of another general. Gruver falls in love with Hana-ogi (Miiko Taka), the leading dancer of a prestigious Japanese girl review. Joe Kelly (Red Buttons) is an airman in Gruver's outfit who is in love with Katsumi (Myoshi Umeki), another Japanese girl. Marine Captain Mike Bailey (James Garner) and one of the minor dancers in the troupe make up a third couple.

As the story unfolds Gruver and Hana-ogi have to come to grips with their own prejudices while each has to combat the expectations thrust upon them by society because of their respective positions. Both are heavily bound by custom and tradition. On the other hand, Airman Kelly and Katsumi, who are unwavering in their love for each other and their determination to stay together at all costs, have to battle a mountain of red tape and an insensitive bureaucracy. This proves to be no small task. Captain Bailey and his girl friend seem to succeed in taking the whole situation in stride without putting too much pressure on each other.

The movie is filled with contrasts. Besides the many differences between the two cultures, there is the sharp differentiation between the lives of military officers and enlisted men. The differences in style between Major Gruver and the more relaxed Captain Bailey are obvious.

After earning a reputation as a comedian, Red Buttons was surprisingly convincing in his portrayal of the tragic Kelly. Myoshi Umeki and Miiko Taka both gave strong performances in their Hollywood debuts. Marlon Brando and James Garner did about as well as expected. Ricardo Montalban played a Kabuki dancer. Although he has long been considered a fine actor, surely one of the many fine Japanese actors available at that time would have been a better choice for this role.

Both Red Buttons and Myoshi Umeki received Academy Awards as best supporting actor and best supporting actress. The film was nominated for five other Oscars including best picture.

Rating:
Summary: An exceptional movie
Review: Sayonara is a story that was bold in the 1950s but to those of us living in the 21st century, it may seem old and outdated. Some of it may be a little outdated or casual - the lack of serioous Japanese male actors, but the central theme of the story is still important. Marlon Brando, Red Buttons and James Garner are Americans, assigned to Japan after combat in Korea, with interests in Japanese women. Brando has an American fiancee whom it is apparent he is ambivilent about marrying - he seems to have been engaged for a very long time. Garner has a Japanese lady friend who is a professional dancer and Buttons has a girl he wants to marry - regardless of the rules that make it difficult if not impossible. I think it it the story of Red Buttons and Miyoshi Umeki that is the most pivotal part of the story. They have the courage to get married and face the future as a couple. Brando's ambivilance to his fiancee finally causes him to walk away from her and hook up with Garner in the officer's club bar. They had become acquainted when Garner attempted to bring his Japanese guest into the officer's club and was refused permission to do so. Through Garner, Brando becomes interested in another famous professional dancer, Miiko Taka, and the begin a romantic relationship. At first she is reluctant and stiff but soon becomes comfortable in Brando's presence. Buttons has become the center of a campaign to get rid of enlisted men who have married Japanese women and gets orders to return to the US. Brando, one of the few people he respects, tries to get the orders changed without success. Even the pregnancy of Button's wife has no effect on the decision. Faced with a life of seperation, suicide is their answer. This is after Umeki flirts with the idea of having her eyelids slashed so that after the surgery they look like an AMerican woman. It is sad and frustrating to think that in the real world it was done as the flyer described that Umeki had in her hands. The musical accompaniment to Brando finding their bodies is extremely moving in this scene and is something I have remembered since I first saw this movie over forty years ago. Brando's performance as the grief stricken friend is superb - you can almost feel his pain and then anger as a general tells him that the law is being changed and soon men like Buttons can bring Japanese wives to the US. It is a little late for Buttons and his wife though. The dance company has also expressed it's displeasure about their star dating and American and have moved her to Tokyo. Brando follows and it is there that they decide to face the offical displeasure of both countries and marry. Throughout the film the entire cast is extremely effective, from Buttons' enthusiasm over his future wife to Garner's anger at not being able to take a Japanese guest into the Officer's club. It all feels quite real. Look at the small details as Brando is waiting for Taka as she passes over a bridge every day to her performance. He makes an impression on her inspite of her resistance. This is a look at Japanese culture as well as the US military culture. Listening to Taka explain why she can't marry Brando is chilling. Ricardo Montalban as a kabuki actor is exceptional - he deserved an academy award nomination as well as Buttons. James Garner is also exceptional as the Marine Corps aviator who is at first antagonistic to Brando but later introduces him to Japan outside of the officer's club. His performance is very under rated and deserves much greater praise. It is a movie that does not end happily - maybe hopeful is better, as Brando and Taka take on the officials of Japan and the US. You think it will work but you don't know for sure. This is a must see film for anyone interested in the military of the 1950s and the impact on Japan of the US.