The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Daniel Mann

Writers:

John Patrick (screenplay)
Vern J. Sneider (book)

Release Date:

December 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

All The Riotous Fun Of The Prize-Winning Stage Comedy!

Plot:

A satire on America's very own drive of a world changer: One year after world war ii, Captain Fisby...

Plot Keywords:

Village | Satire | Okinawa Japan | Geisha | Cultural Difference

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Golden Globes. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Marlon Brando	...	Sakini
Glenn Ford	...	Capt. Fisby
Machiko Kyô	...	Lotus Blossom (as Machiko Kyo)
Eddie Albert	...	Capt. McLean
Paul Ford	...	Col. Wainwright Purdy III
Jun Negami	...	Mr. Seiko
Nijiko Kiyokawa	...	Miss Higa Jiga
Mitsuko Sawamura	...	Little Girl
Harry Morgan	...	Sgt. Gregovich (as Henry {Harry} Morgan)

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System) | 4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (certificate #18243) | Canada:G (video rating) | Australia:G | Finland:S | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Okinawa, Japan

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Average Shot Length = ~18.6 seconds. Median Shot Length = ~18 seconds.

Quotes:

Col. Wainwright Purdy III: You'll need an interpreter...
Captain Fisby: I can study the language.
Col. Wainwright Purdy III: No need. We won the war.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Castle of Fu-Manchu (#4.23)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

Deep in the Heart of Texas

A gem!

This movie was the first chance to see Marlon Brando in a truly comical role, not the "He Man"-unbelievably good! His accent, his body movements, the Japanese he spoke, hard to believe this was the same man who did the Waterfront.I really think he deserved an award for this role. These were a couple of the most enjoyable hours I've ever spent. Having lived in Okinawa, and familiar with the practical, down-to-earth people there, I enjoyed the movie that makes so much fun and caricatures narrow-mindedness and pompousness while exalting creativity, adaptation, and "what really matters". The movie does make fun of the narrow-mindedness of some Americans, and shows the Okinawans with respect and tenderness, as assertive, business-minded, resilient, and proud. A real quality movie, and I'm so glad I taped it from Turner Classic movies.10 out of 10.