Sayonara
First screened in March 2016
Director: Joshua Logan. Cast: Marlon Brando, Miiko Taka, Red Buttons, James Garner, Patricia Owens, Kent Smith, Martha Scott, Miyoshi Umeki, Ricardo Montalban, Reiko Kuba, Douglass Watson, Soo Yong, Carlo Fiori, Dennis Hopper, the Shochiku Kagekidan Girls Revue. Screenplay: Paul Osborn (based on the novel by James Michener).

Twitter Capsule: Weird duel between admiration of Japanese culture and patronizing, West-facing travesty of it. Heavy pace. Odd sound mix.

VOR:   For all of its patent shortcomings in cultural insight and technical execution, an interesting window into a mid-50s Orientalist imagination. Unusual Brando performance, too.



Photo © 1957 Warner Bros. Pictures

Not yet reviewed in full. Grade: C–


Academy Award Nominations and Winners:
Best Picture
Best Director: Joshua Logan
Best Actor: Marlon Brando
Best Supporting Actress: Miyoshi Umeki
Best Supporting Actor: Red Buttons
Best Adapted Screenplay: Paul Osborn
Best Cinematography: Ellsworth Fredericks
Best Art Direction-Set Decoration: Ted Haworth; Robert Priestley
Best Film Editing: Arthur P. Schmidt and Philip W. Anderson
Best Sound Recording: George Groves

Golden Globe Nominations and Winners:
Best Picture (Drama)
Best Director: Joshua Logan
Best Actor (Drama): Marlon Brando
Best Supporting Actress: Miyoshi Umeki
Best Supporting Actor: Red Buttons
Most Promising Newcomer (Male): James Garner

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