Let me just start by saying, that as a person of color, I always have and always will find blackface a "get this out of my face" moment, categorized in the same light as the "I'm free, white, and 21" line. In short, it's not my brand.
So there's no getting around how most people today may feel about Marlon Brando playing a Japanese character. What I call a "sign of the times." Yet, films I still watch, just as BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S (1961) or SAYONARA (1957), though I may cringe, smh. |
However, I'd also be the first to say, knowing what I have learned over the years of the "non-tabloid" side of Marlon Brando, his humanitarian work, his sincerity to wanting and in most cases, the need to help people of all races, nationalities and backgrounds, particularly any group considered the minority, finding it our duty as human beings to help anyone seemingly beat down by a majority ...
"... in Harlem black people were still being treated as less than human, there was still rampant poverty and anti-Semitism and there seemed to be as much injustice as before. I was beginning to hear a voice in my head that said I had a responsibility to do something about it and that acting was not an important vocation in life when the world was still facing so many problems." -Marlon Brando |
Brando during at Bobby Hutton's Memorial ... Marlon gave the eulogy, addressing a crowd afterward urging white America to wake up on racism against black America:
"I haven't been in your place. I haven't suffered the way you've suffered. I'm just beginning to learn the nature of that experience. And somehow, that has to be translated to the white community now. Time's running out for everybody." [1] |
In 1973 Marlon Brando sat down with Dick Cavett and while he spoke briefly about acting, he also commented on his refusal of the Academy Award when asked by Cavett: pic.twitter.com/rvTHE7e1I4
— Dominique Revue (@DominiqueRevue) April 3, 2019
… All a side of Marlon Brando very few want to talk about, take seriously or may not even know about. I don't think it was his intention to cause harm to any race of people.
As written in The Japan Times by Nicolas Gattig:
"At the height of his fame, Brando badly wanted to be Sakini. He campaigned for the role and had script and director approval, speaking publicly of his desire to make movies with a social message, to build bridges between cultures. Soon after the “Teahouse” premiere, Brando returned to Japan to shoot “Sayonara” — a pioneer paean to Japanese-American love and marriages — announcing he would someday like to live there.
Brando was serious about making Sakini real. Refusing that his Japanese parts be dubbed, he spent two months recording a Japanese friend and shadowing his pronunciation. He lost about 13 kilos on a diet, studied Japanese posture and mannerisms, and practiced sitting in the lotus position before consulting with studio technicians on his look."
Even the Japanese people in a recent screening of the film in 2017 for its 60th anniversary stated: "“The movie doesn’t feel offensive,” concluded a group of Japanese people attending a screening in Tokyo. “The American characters look stupider than the Japanese.”" (For the full article written in The Japan Times headlined "Brando's turn as an Okinawan 'host in a shell' haunts debate over 'yellowface'" I deeply encourage you to read the very enlightening piece in its entirety: found here)
So, having said my piece and counted to three, I'm going to try my best to continue herein on the film itself. If you opt out ... I understand.
As written in The Japan Times by Nicolas Gattig:
"At the height of his fame, Brando badly wanted to be Sakini. He campaigned for the role and had script and director approval, speaking publicly of his desire to make movies with a social message, to build bridges between cultures. Soon after the “Teahouse” premiere, Brando returned to Japan to shoot “Sayonara” — a pioneer paean to Japanese-American love and marriages — announcing he would someday like to live there.
Brando was serious about making Sakini real. Refusing that his Japanese parts be dubbed, he spent two months recording a Japanese friend and shadowing his pronunciation. He lost about 13 kilos on a diet, studied Japanese posture and mannerisms, and practiced sitting in the lotus position before consulting with studio technicians on his look."
Even the Japanese people in a recent screening of the film in 2017 for its 60th anniversary stated: "“The movie doesn’t feel offensive,” concluded a group of Japanese people attending a screening in Tokyo. “The American characters look stupider than the Japanese.”" (For the full article written in The Japan Times headlined "Brando's turn as an Okinawan 'host in a shell' haunts debate over 'yellowface'" I deeply encourage you to read the very enlightening piece in its entirety: found here)
So, having said my piece and counted to three, I'm going to try my best to continue herein on the film itself. If you opt out ... I understand.
Marlon Brando in Japan during filming on THE TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON (1956) - Click on photos to enlarge
Beginning with a brief background on the story itself:
Adapted from Vern J. Sneider's 1951 novel of the same name which was later adapted for the stage in John Patrick's 1953 play (running from October 15, 1953 - March 24, 1956, with 1027 performances) of the same name, having won the Pulitzer-Prize, a Tony Award, and New York Drama Critics' Circle—Best American Play winner, both the novel and play birthing the film released in 1956. The film Marlon followed his Musical debut (you know it's my fave, read here) GUYS AND DOLLS (1955) with. Trading "Sky Masterson" in for "Sakini," a role played on stage by David Wayne and one MGM originally wanted Gene Kelly to play the role of, the Japanese interpreter who interpretes what's being said to what should be said ... According to Sakini.
Controversy aside, Marlon does justice to a form of acting he didn't think he could pull off ... Comedy. (If you've not seen him with David Niven and Shirley Jones featuring Marie Windsor in BEDTIME STORY (1964), I recommend it!)
The film's backdrop was shot in Japan, both Nara, Japan and Kyoto, Japan. Marlon having arrived in Japan on April 3rd (his birthday), 1956, for the premiere of GUYS AND DOLLS and to begin filming his role in THE TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON, where he held a press conference the following day, April 4, turning into a photo session at the Imperial Hotel in Downtown Tokyo.
However, about time June came around, the rainy weather in Japan, with not even half of the film completed, forced the cast and crew to pack up sets and all, and shoot the remainder of the film back in California at the MGM backlot.
However, about time June came around, the rainy weather in Japan, with not even half of the film completed, forced the cast and crew to pack up sets and all, and shoot the remainder of the film back in California at the MGM backlot.
The film opens up in credits and tone very reminiscent to, for those who've seen it, SAYONARA (1957), the film Brando would follow up "Teahouse" with (and his last parting word with the last line in "Teahouse") in the role of U.S. Air Force pilot "Major Lloyd Gruver" who falls in love with a Japanese girl during the Korean War (for my piece read here). And the first person we meet ... Sakini. And again, cringe as you may, you can't help but smile at seeing Brando in such a lighthearted fashion. When your viewing point of him cinema wise are films like ON THE WATERFRONT (1954), A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE (1951), ONE-EYED JACKS (1961), THE WILD ONE (1953), THE GODFATHER (1972), SAYONARA (1957), JULIUS CAESAR (1953) and films of the like, finding him here all bubbles and smiles, with a sly comedic charm, is down right delightful.
The film co-stars Marlon with one of my favorite actors, Glenn Ford! You *know* it, baby … "So this is Johnny Farrell. I've heard a lot about you, Johnny Farrell." My GILDA's Johnny Farrell (for my piece on my favorite film of all time, read here).
Though I'd like to say Marlon and Glenn got along on this film, it wasn't so. But, as with any good actors, and these are two of the best, different styles, but same result, good actors, it doesn't translate on-screen.
As co-star Machiko Kyô mentions:
Though I'd like to say Marlon and Glenn got along on this film, it wasn't so. But, as with any good actors, and these are two of the best, different styles, but same result, good actors, it doesn't translate on-screen.
As co-star Machiko Kyô mentions:
(Glenn) Ford and Brando are most different, Ford is quiet, very yawarakai (tender), Brando is like a small boy, but once he gets on the set he is all they say he is. He radiates, always joking. I watched him very closely throughout the picture and he has a delicate touch. |
The first comedy my Mom and I saw Glenn Ford in was co-starring him with Debbie Reynolds featuring Carl Reiner in THE GAZEBO (1959). From that performance, he completely won us over with comedy being our favorite genre to see him in from there on. After having the intense film love affair I had with him in GILDA (1946), following it up with films of the same type, to find THE GAZEBO and a different acting side of him, I was pleasantly surprised.
Here, Glenn Ford as "Captain Fisby" (portrayed by John Forsythe in the 1953 play) delivers the same "wear a smile on my face" comedy as THE GAZEBO. Naturalistic. In a bumbling approached way. For Ford, it works.
(The rest of the cast fills out with a solid one. Eddie Albert as "Captain McLean" (pre-Green Acres, for those of us who grew up on re-runs and only discovering him in films like the BROTHER RAT films (1938, 1940), FOUR WIVES (1939), FOUR MOTHERS (1941) and the like later), character actor Paul Ford, recreating his stage role in the film (more on that later), which, if you don't recognize the name, you'll know the face and the voice, Harry Morgan (aka Henry Morgan (not to be confused with the I'VE GOT A SECRET's Henry Morgan), Jun Negami, Nijiko Kiyokawa and the female co-star, who I am elated to announce is still with us Machiko Kyô at 95 (probably most known for RASHOMON (1950)) as "Lotus Blossom". (UPDATE: Machiko Kyô has passed away at 95 years old, May 12, 2019: The Hollywood Reporter)
The role of Colonel Purdy was originally to be played by one of my favorite character actors and an actor Marlon Brando not only worked with previously in JULIUS CAESAR (1953), but also was fond of as a person ("...He was an imposing, hard-drinking old actor with a classic profile, and he knew every trick in the book, had played virtually every part on Broadway and was full of stories about the theater." -Marlon Brando) and was excited to be working with him again, "Caesar" himself, Louis Calhern. However, Calhern died unexpectedly from a heart attack after only about a month of filming. Having to have his scenes reshot by the actor who originated the role on stage, Paul Ford.
When Calhern died, Brando along with other cast members attended the memorial services where, according to Bud (Marlon Brando), they all where made to enter according to billing and a service he described:
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Glenn began the eulogies with an actor's performance. He described effusively how much he missed Louis, looked to the heavens with his chin quivering and seemed to be trying to address Calhern directly as if he were already up there. Meanwhile the priest had kept giving us cues to stand up, sit down, kneel, rise, kneel. For non-Catholics, it was very confusing, as we kept going up and down like a bank of express elevators. I noticed Glenn rubbing his knees in pain, and the next time the priest signaled for us to kneel again, he responded with a look of disgust and a barely audible sound of resentment. At first he wouldn't go down, then he knelt halfway, then finally all the way, and for some reason this struck me as very funny and I started laughing. People turned around and looked at me, so I tried to disguise my laughter as the choked, tearful bereavement of someone suffering a great loss. I clamped my hands over my eyes in sorrow and tried to stop giggling, but I was in the clutches of a sustained and serious laughing attack, the kind that can take the wind out of you and tighten the muscles around your chest so that you can barely breathe. That I was reacting this way at a funeral made me even more hysterical. Glenn looked over at me with a surprised look that said, "Jesus, he's sure feeling a lot more grief than I am," which only made me laugh more. It was a nightmare, and I could hardly wait for the Mass to end. Afterward the priest, thinking I was immobilized by grief, came over to me and said, "My son, let's go into the rectory so we can have a private communication with Louis's spirit." Everyone had to follow or it would have been disrespectful, so we prayed some more there, and I could never stop laughing. On the ride back to the hotel, everybody, even Glenn, expressed sympathy for my loss." -Marlon Brando |
When I read that passage, all I could see was my Mom's favorite Mary Tyler Moore episode with Chuckles The Clown … Whether you've ever seen one full episode or not of the Mary Tyler Moore show, you know that scene.
Gif credit: always_fair_weather
My point is this, as with almost all films I recommend, be it a popular choice by most or none at all, critically acclaimed or popular by fan base alone, try this film out for yourself. I can't say it isn't flawed (outside of the obvious, the casting), but it's worth the watch for the run.
Hope this write up was helpful in some film-fan-fun-facts-watch-list sort of a way (Whew!). It has a runtime of a little over 2hrs, so brew the coffee and take a Tea Time for a Coffee Break ... #ForMyMom.
Best and love Guys 'n Dolls.