Daily Archives: April 8, 2016

The Teahouse of the August Moon
Directed by Daniel Mann
Written by John Patrick from his play and a book by Vern J. Sneider
1956/USA
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
First viewing/Netflix rental

[box] Sakini: She say she can’t be equal, Boss, until she has everything Lotus Blossom have.

Captain Fisby: What Lotus Blossom has, the government doesn’t issue![/box]

I was actually dreading watching Marlon Brando in Yellow Face.  Instead, I was charmed and entertained.  Go figure.

The movie takes place on Okinawa during the American Occupation of Japan.  Sakini (Brando) is the Okinawan interpreter for the fusty Col. Wainwright Purdy (Paul Ford), a man whose main activity seems to be posting signs banning fraternization between officers and GI’s.  Purdy is aiming for a promotion to General, all for the benefit of his wife of course.

Purdy is impressed to be getting an intelligence officer assigned to his unit, which is in charge of the Democratization of Okinawa.  Unfortunately for him, he gets Capt. Fisby (Glenn Ford), who has been moved from one assignment to the next for incompetence. He sends Fisby to the village of Tobiki to spread democracy and build the locals a school house.  Tobiki is Sakini’s native village and he accompanies Fisby.

The amount of mischief Sakini gets up to is astounding.  His greatest triumph is probably getting a geisha, Lotus Blossom (Machiko Kyô), for the unwilling Fisby.  Then the villagers demand a tea house instead of a school and things go downhill from there.  Within a few weeks, Fisby has gone native.  Col. Wainwright sends a psychiatrist Capt. McLean (Eddie Albert) to investigate.  McClean succumbs to the charms of the villagers even faster than Fisby did.  Clearly, the U.S. is set to lose this particular battle with the Japanese.  With Harry Morgan as the Colonel’s sergeant.

I really enjoyed this comedy of culture shock and Americanization run riot.  I don’t know that I’ve seen Brando do comedy before.  He is actually warm, funny, and the best thing about a movie full of other good performances.  Plus we get the great Machiko Kyô showing her versatility in an over-the-top farcical role.  Give it a try if you dare.

Trailer

Good-bye, My Lady
Directed by William A. Wellman
Written by Albert Sidney Fleischman from a novel by James H. Street
1956/USA
Batjac Productions
First viewing/Amazon Instant

[box] Walden Grover: That’s a lot of money.

Skeeter Jackson: That’s a lot of dog.[/box]

This story of a boy and his dog came as a very pleasant surprise.

Skeeter Jackson (Brandon De Wilde) and his Uncle Jesse Jackson (Walter Brennan) live in a cabin near a swamp.  They live very simply.  Skeeter goes to school but Uncle Jesse is illiterate.  Skeeter is an orphan and storekeeper Cash Evans (Phil Harris) paid to keep him out of the orphanage.  Skeeter doesn’t trust Cash much but Uncle Jesse has a bickeringly friendly relationship with him.

Skeeter has been hearing an unearthly laughter coming out of the swamp.  Uncle and son track it down and it turns out to be a little dog they cannot catch.  The dog doesn’t bark. It only emits a strange yodel, runs like the wind, and cries real tears.  Cash goes to the swamp with his hunting dogs determined to capture the animal.  She is much too fast for his dogs.  Finally, Skeeter lures her in with kindness and food.  Thereafter, this is Skeeter’s dog, which he names Lady.

The rest of the movie is taken up mostly with Skeeter’s efforts to train the animal as a bird dog, a task at which she proves to be enormously talented.  Lady becomes famous far and wide and people begin visiting the cabin.  What will happen when research proves Lady to come from an ancient race of African hunting dog?  With Sidney Poitier as an educated neighbor and Louise Beavers as his mother.

I was half expecting something really corny but liked this movie a whole lot. The simple backwoods story is very well written and the acting is just wonderful.  I had no idea Phil Harris could act and Brennan and Poitier are, of course, outstanding.  There are no real surprises here but a ton of warmth and humor.  Recommended for the whole family.

Trailer