During WW2, a British officer stationed in Asia is recruited by Army Intelligence, is tasked with learning Japanese to interrogate Japanese POWs and he falls in-love with his pretty Japanese teacher.
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Title: The Wind Cannot Read (1958)
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Cast
| Cast overview: | |||
| Dirk Bogarde | ... | Flight Lieutenant Michael Quinn | |
| Yôko Tani | ... | 'Sabby' [Suzuki San] (as Yoko Tani) | |
| Ronald Lewis | ... | Squadron Leader Fenwick | |
| John Fraser | ... | Flying Officer Peter Munroe | |
| Anthony Bushell | ... | The Brigadier | |
| Marne Maitland | ... | Bahadur | |
| Michael Medwin | ... | Flying Officer Lamb | |
| Richard Leech | ... | Hobson | |
| Tony Wager | ... | Moss (as Anthony Wager) | |
 |
Tadashi Ikeda | ... | Itsumi San |
|
|
Heihachirô Ôkawa | ... | Lieutenant Nakamura (as Henry Okawa) |
|
|
Yoichi Matsue | ... | Corporal Mori |
| Donald Pleasence | ... | The Doctor | |
|
|
Joy Michael | ... | First Nurse |
| Avice Landone | ... | Second Nurse | |
Edit
Plot Summary
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Storyline
During WW2, the Japanese forces push their way into Burma and threaten to invade British India at the end of 1942. Caught in a flood of war refugees fleeing Burma, RAF Flight Lieutenant Michael Quinn and a fellow officer are retreating toward the Burma-India border. The disorganized column marching under the intense scorching sun runs into a Japanese ambush. Under a hail of fire, they all scatter in all directions. Quinn and his comrade head for the desert. After a few grueling hours of walking in the infernal desert, they finally reach a British Army outpost. In 1943, Quinn is sent for a bit of R&R. He's spending his time skiing in the Indian mountains and relaxing at the New Everest Hotel where his Indian orderly, Bahadur, constantly spoils him. Fellow RAF pilot Peter Munroe shows up at the hotel and informs Quinn that no one is leaving for Britain yet. Munroe also tells Quinn that the 2 of them have been selected to join a group of British officers who will learn the Japanese ... Written by nufs68
Plot Keywords:
language lesson | hung by wrists | pedicab | riding an elephant | interracial marriage |Taglines:
LOVE THAT WAS FORBIDDEN . . . but could not be denied! See more »Certificate:
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Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
14 July 1958 (Denmark) See more »Also Known As:
El viento no sabe leer See more »Company Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System) (uncredited)Color:
Color (Eastman Color)Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1
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"Though on the sign it is written: 'Don't pluck these blossoms'- it is useless against the wind, which cannot read."
INDIA 1943 See more »
Written and Composed by Peter Hart
and Sung by Vera Lynn
See more »
Did You Know?
Goofs
When Quinn breaks his handcuffs with a rock (c. 97 minutes), his wrists are not bleeding and his right wrist shows no serious sign of injury; yet in the next shot he is bandaging both his wrists, now bleeding, with the torn strips from his shirt. See more »Quotes
Officer Lamb: I am always staggered by the consistency of fate in penalising virtue.See more »
Crazy Credits
Opening credits prologue: BURMA 1942"Though on the sign it is written: 'Don't pluck these blossoms'- it is useless against the wind, which cannot read."
- JAPANESE POEM
INDIA 1943 See more »
Soundtracks
The Wind Cannot ReadWritten and Composed by Peter Hart
and Sung by Vera Lynn
See more »
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Dirk Bogarde in India circa 1943 training to fight the Japanese, falls in love with a self-exiled Japanese woman (his instructor at military language school).
Bogarde can infuse any performance with interest and tension. Yoko Tani, the female lead, is not a great actress but hits the right tone. Those familiar with Japan and the Japanese will appreciate that care was taken in the film to make it authentic -- real Japanese actors speaking real and quite appropriate Japanese.
Very well photographed with some great scenes of India. A diverting, although not brilliant, film.