Sunday, March 27, 2022

Sayonara (1957)

 In 'Sayonara' Marlon Brando is a southerner, he's third generation West Point, it's 1951 and he's stationed in Japan. Though informally engaged to a generals daughter he's known since childhood, and whose the gorgeous Patricia Owens, he has no passion for her, she's pretty and smart and knows the ropes of military life and that's what he thinks he wants. However the moment he sets eyes on beautiful Japanese actress Miko Taka, he's struck love dumb. 

There are things in this film that a quite dated, but it's also pretty bold, there's real tragedy here. Based on one of James Michener's shorter novels and featuring an original song by Irving Berlin. Red Buttons and Miyoshi Umeki won Oscar's for their supporting performances as an ill fated married couple. Features reasonably adult discussions of racial issues for a main stream period film.  ***1/2 

No comments: