Sayonara (1957)

A US air force major in Kobe confronts his own opposition to marriages between American servicemen and Japanese women when he falls for a beautiful performer.

Director:

Joshua Logan

Writers:

Paul Osborn (screen play), James Michener (based on the novel by)

Stars:

Marlon Brando, Patricia Owens, Red Buttons

Won 4 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Marlon Brando	...	Major Gruver
Patricia Owens	...	Eileen Webster
Red Buttons	...	Joe Kelly
Miiko Taka	...	Hana-Ogi
Ricardo Montalban	...	Nakamura
Martha Scott	...	Mrs. Webster
Miyoshi Umeki	...	Katsumi
James Garner	...	Captain Bailey
Kent Smith	...	General Webster
Douglass Watson	...	Colonel Crawford (as Douglas Watson)
Reiko Kuba	...	Fumiko-San
Soo Yong	...	Teruko-San
Shochiku Kagekidan Girls Revue

Storyline

Major Lloyd Gruver, a Korean War flying ace reassigned to Japan, staunchly supports the military's opposition to marriages between American troops and Japanese women. But that's before Gruver experiences a love that challenges his own deeply set prejudices... and plunges him into conflict with the U.S. Air Force and Japan's own cultural taboos.

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Plot Keywords:

marriage | u.s. air force | american | korean war | military | 

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Taglines:

Worlds apart...theirs was the daring love affair violating every rule, every custom, every centuries-old belief!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

1957 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Sayonara - Elveda

Filming Locations:

Kobe, Hyogo, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pennebaker Productions, William Goetz Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

147 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Miyoshi Umeki's Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actress made her the first Asian actor to win an Oscar. Also, as of 2010, she is the only person of East Asian descent to win an Academy Award for acting.

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Goofs

When Maj. Gruver is lying on a bent tree, we see him putting his right hand in his pocket. The next shot shows him with his both hands on his belly.

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Quotes

Major Gruver: Are you gonna sit there with your bare face hangin' out and tell me you never heard of Tanabata?

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Connections

Referenced in The Rise of Two Legends (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Shinju Tenno Amijima Hashi Zukushi"
(uncredited)
Words and Music by Bunraku Mitsuwa Kai, Monzaemon Chikamatsu and Enjiro Toyosawa

User Reviews

One of Brando's best

I really enjoyed this movie about the relationships that sometimes developed between American servicemen and Japanese women in post-war Japan--as well as the obstacles that prejudices created for them. Brando goes from having contempt for the Japanese (which is natural considering WW2) to falling in love with a Japanese woman and wanting to marry her. His performance is okay (I am not a major fan of his acting style) and the movie is marvelous throughout. Red Buttons received an Oscar for his touching performance of another GI who falls in love in Japan (though the Japanese women who plays opposite him also did a remarkable job).

I don't want to spoil it but the movie is a good one to watch with a box of tissues.

This movie manages to say SOMETHING and be entertaining at the same time. A mostly underrated gem.