Sayonara is an adaptation from a James Michener novel, a story about American soldiers serving in Japan during the Korean War.
Air Force Major Lloyd Gruver (Marlon Brando) is reassigned to a Japanese air base, and is confronted with US racial prejudice against the Japanese people.Gruver must take a position when a buddy of his, an enlisted man Joe Kelly (Red Buttons) falls in love with a Japanese woman Katsumi (Miyoshi Umeki) and marries her. Gruver risks his position by serving as best man at the wedding ceremony.
The major also falls in love with a beautiful Japanese Matsubayashi dancer named Hana-ogi (Miiko Taka), a member of a celebrated, but all-female dance troupe. She offers herself to him: "I am not allowed to love. But I will love you if that is your wish." He is asked by a reporter to comment on his proposed marriage to the Japanese woman which will be against "the Social Rule" of both American and Japanese. Gruver replies with the final line of the film: "Tell 'em we said, 'Sayonara."
Many critics said what really sells this movie is the performance of Brando, who handles this adult role with seeming ease. He gives a sensitive, compassionate and thoughtful performance, even if the character is stuck in a well-meaning mushy and meandering movie full of the best of liberal pieties and good intentions.
I agree but please consider the remarkable roles of Red Buttons and Miyoshi Umeki. You'll finally find why both got Oscar awards. This means,for me, Marlon Brando's performance isn't above average.
And the great Irving Berlin wrote such a beautiful song for us, too.
Words and Music by Irving Berlin(1957)
Sayonara, Japanese goodbye
Whisper sayonara but you mustn't cry
No more we stop to see pretty cherry blossoms
No more we stop to see pretty cherry blossoms
No more we 'neath the tree looking at the sky
Sayonara, if it must be so
Whisper sayonara, smiling as we go
No more we stop to see pretty cherry blossoms
No more we stop to see pretty cherry blossoms
No more we 'neath the tree looking at the sky
Sayonara, sayonara......Goodbye.
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