Sayonara

Brandos romantic culture clash in Japan after WW2

In 1951, an American Air Force pilot serving in Korea (Marlon Brando) is reassigned to Kobe, Japan, where he deals with his American fiancé (Patricia Owens) and a Japanese performer who attracts his attention (Miiko Taka). The problem is theres a military order against fraternizing with indigenous women. James Garner and Red Buttons have peripheral roles while Ricardo Montalban is on hand as a famous Kabuki entertainer.

Sayonara (1957) is a romantic drama highlighted by Brandos performance as a genial Southern officer, the Japanese culture & locations, plus the quaint conventions of the time period, not to mention Garner in one of his earliest roles. Its similar to The Ugly A...

Though it does try to deal with some quite poignant issues, Im afraid it struggles to engage as it plods along a bit too sedately for 2½ hours. Its set in an immediately post-war Korea and sees Joe (Red Buttons) fall in love with a Japanese gal. Now thats strictly against the rules of fraternisation and he risks an immediate court martial. Its only going to get more precarious when he decides to marry Katsumi (Miyoshi Umeki) and he asks his all-American boss Maj. Gruver (Marlon Brando) if hell be the best man. Things are further complicated because not only is Gruver the son of a commanding general but he also doesnt really comprehend why his friend would be willing to surrender his US citizenship just to marry this girl. As the story devel...