Sayonara

Beautiful shots of Japan And even though it's shot in 1957, it was filmed in Technirama and Technicolor.. truly amazing how it still looks vibrant today on a modern tv. I'm sure these soldiers faced such obstacles, falling in love with women of a nation we were at war with but today, all these years later it seems absurd they'd be harassed for it and only natural for young men 1,000s of miles from home for years on end. It's based on a James Michener book and even though it's 60+ yrs old, it's obvious they sure knew how to make movies all those yrs ago... I'd rather watch these old movies than 80% of the ridiculous content that's been out out in the past 30 years. Yes, there's a lot more movies put out these days but I'd venture an estimate that the quality movies produced today vs 60 yrs ago... they had us beat without a doubt. Great flick.. enjoy!!

This movie is very interesting in which it concerns the relationships between Japanese and American servicemen after the Second World War in Japan. Especially Marlon Brando's character goes from reservations (especially considering the period the movie is set) to falling in love with a Japanese woman and hopes to marry her. Brando shines in this movie, and I put it among his best movies. The standout of the cast is Red Buttons, who at the time was still unkown as an actor, but in his debut revealed that he was destined for greatness. His performance of Joe Kelly, an American airman, is incredibly believable and touching, and Buttons won the Academy Award for best Supporting Actor for this film, and he truly deserved it.

An interesting movie for the subject and the actors' performances, well directed and also very entertaining. And I think it's deeply underrated today.

Any film that deals with bigotry in a positive manner is a film that should still be seen by current audiences as the message and moral of the story will always be relevant as long as we have a world full of bigotry.

Aside from that, the film is really an old-fashioned love story..boy meets girl..boys loses girl...boy gets girl back....

The weakest role goes to the late Kent Smith as Lt. General Webster(Riccardo Montalban is a close second)...my question would be how did he ever get to be a 3-star general...the character is such a wimp in the presence of his wife and military subordinates, it's a wonder they show him any respect at all.

Brando's southern accent is a little overdone, and some scenes have a few holes but overall, I enjoy the film every time I see it.

Red Buttons is great...I always love seeing comedians in dramatic roles...as in Button's case, often a comedian can better portray the tragedy of a person than a more traditional dramatic actor.

Released in December of 1957, Sayonara went on to earn 8 Oscar nominations and would pull in 4 wins. Red Buttons won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in his role as airman Joe Kelly who falls in love with a Japanese woman while stationed in Kobe during the Korean War. Oscar nominated for Best Leading Actor, Marlon Brando plays Major Lloyd Gruver, a Korean War flying ace reassigned to Japan, who staunchly supports the military's opposition to marriages between American troops and Japanese women and tries without any success to talk his friend Joe Kelly out of getting married. Ironically Marlon Brandos character soon finds love of his own in a woman of Japanese descent. This movie highlights the prejudices and cultural differences of that time. Filmed in beautiful color and with stunning backgrounds I found this movie to be well worth watching just for these effects alone. Good movie, gimme more...GimmeClassics

There are two "Sayonara"s: the James Mitchner book and the

Hollywood adaptation. The Major Llyod Gruver portrayed in the book is

introduced as an army brat, graduate of West Point, no-nonsense air

force pilot and career officer who does not discuss personal matters

with enlisted men. The Ace Gruver introduced in the film is a

brooding Brando who arrives in a fighter jet instead of on a Triumph

motorcycle and whose best friend is Airman Kelly. The Japan portrayed

in the Mitchner book is the everyday Japan of narrow streets, noodle

vendors, ramen shops, yakitori stands, tatami rooms, and futon at bed

time. The Japan portrayed in the film is a land of geisha,

Takarazuka, kabuki, bunraku, pagoda, arched bridges, and a lot of other

Japan stereotypes I have yet to encounter although I have lived in

Japan for the past 31 years and have a masters degree in Far East Asian

Studies from Sophia University, Tokyo. Both "Sayonara"s offer something o value. One is realistic. One

is a beautiful fantasy. Read the book and watch the movie and take

your choice of endings.