A beautiful love story released in 1957,
Sayonara is a classic film showcasing the clash of cultural values between Americans and the Japanese.The main theme of the film is the romantic liaisons between American servicemen on R&R and local native girls in post-war Japan.
In the midst of the continuing but subdued enmity between these two people, came Major Lloyd Gruver played by Marlon Brando and his love for the enigmatic Hana-Ogi,an adorable and charming entertainer performing for a Takarazuka-like theater company,played desirably by Miiko Taka.
The story starts on a strong footing. Kelly (Red Buttons),an enlisted man once under Gruver's command in Korea, marries a Japanese woman, Katsumi, in spite of the disapproval of the United States military, which will not recognize the marriage. The Air Force, including Gruver, was against the marriage. Gruver and Kelly had an argument where Gruver uses a racial slur to describe Kelly's fiancee, but Gruver apologized, then agreed later to be Kelly's Best Man at the wedding.He then meets the elusive Hana-Ogi through Kelly and Katsumi. Resolving any difference they had, it was then on, romance in the moonlight and shadows for the secret lovers.It was sublimal!
There is so much magic and bravado that you will root for the American servicemen and their spouses/girlfriends as they fight against the might of the American army psyche and bigotry which is dead-set against liaisons of any kind with native girls; much less anyone who has married them or intending to. The ruling at that time was no foreign Japanese wives could be brought back to the US if these servicemen get transferred back to Stateside. If they should go against such transfer order, they will be court-martialed. Kelly and Katsumi killed themselves in an honourable double suicide in a desperate way to end their impasse, not knowing that Congress was soon to pass a law allowing American servicemen to bring back their Japanese wives back to the States.
The suicide of Kely and Katsumi was to strengthen Major Gruver's resolve to marry his Japanese lover. He confronts Hana-Ogi in Tokyo and demanded that she make up her mind whether she wants to marry him or not. "I will be outside your door," he tells her.
In a parting scene before the credits roll,when asked by a Stars and Stripes reporter what will he say to both the "big brass" as well as the Japanese,if the rumours were true that he intends to marry Hana-Ogi, Major Gruver has this to say:"Tell them I said 'Sayonara.'
So the 64,000 dollar question will be: Will Hana-Ogi marry Gruver? That is for you to find out!
You will assuredly be entertained to such delightful music by the maestro, Irving Berlin and
Sayonara under the masterful direction of Joshua Logan is magical. I did learn a lot from this movie,the looks of post-war Kobe and Tokyo and the Kabuki theatre. What a joy of a movie.
Excellent movie. Unrivaled to this day.
