“Sayonara” is the Oscar-winning 1957 romantic drama feature, directed by Joshua Logan, based on the 19t4 novel by James A. Michener, starring Marlon Brando at his mumbling, improvisational best, alongside big James Garner, Patricia Owens, Martha Scott, Miyoshi Umeki, Red Buttons, Miiko Taka and Ricardo Montalbán (“”Star Trek: Wrath of Khan”) in ‘yellowface’, with the film now restored and streaming for free on Tubi:
Aside from Brando affecting a peculiar ‘good ol’ boy’ southern drawl, while deliberately walking into walls and quipping sex jokes…
…the story follows him as a ‘US Air Force’ pilot during the 1951 ‘Korean War’ who dumps his straight, General’s daughter fiancé , to fall in love with a ravishing Japanese dancer…
…in a colorfully-shot feature, dealing squarely with racism and prejudice, winning 4 ‘Academy Awards’…
…including ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for Red Buttons and ‘Best Supporting Actress’ for Miyoshi Umeki…
…with the first Oscar awarded by the Academy to an East Asian- born woman.
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