User reviews

I just had the chance to see this charming movie again in widescreen format in what evidently is a new or restored print on Turner Classic Movies, and I'm realizing that I love the flick more and more each time I see it. The wonderful cast - Glenn Ford, Paul Ford (ironic - no relation!), Eddie Albert, Marlon Brando and Harry Morgan - do a fine job of playing out the movie's humorous meditation on culture clash, and the ability of a strong but flexible people to maintain their Eastern ways in the face of Western "aid". Brando, in particular, is surprising; this is about as far from Stanley Kowalksi or Terry Malloy as you can get, and one would not think him able to do much with a humorous, cross-racial characterization, yet the brilliant and convincing manner in which he pulls it off reminds us of the great thespian talent he once possessed and which he tended to squander as his life progressed. I believe this film had its origins in a very successful stage play; we can thank the forces involved for committing this funny, charming, and ultimately heart-warming story to celluloid. Best line: "I've come to a state of gracious acceptance somewhere between my ambitions and my limitations."

For a guy who had some heavy duty roles,Waterfront,Sreetcar etc. this role was a real challenge for Brando and he is fabulous and steals movie although Glenn Ford is great too. This shows Brando's brilliance as an actor not that there was ever any doubt but this early in his career to take this comedic challenge shows his versatility. Is Glenn Ford ever bad? I don't think he gets the credit for all his talent. This movie probably could not be made today a victim of PC. Must have Asian play Asian and don't offend the the Japanese although the only people made to look like fool were the Americans which is fine with me because it's a comedy and people are suppose to look foolish. Never on, but caught on TCM.

In watching "Teahouse of the August Moon," again recently, I can see how it made such a smash on Broadway. Besides its very funny plot and script, the setting seems ideal for a stage. Or, did they move the stage setting to Japan or elsewhere for the movie? I ask that because after three viewings over the years, the thought has stuck in my mind that it seemed like it was on stage. Perhaps the final scene when we see Sakini directing the locals to reassemble the teahouse drove that thought more than anything. I performed and worked in theater at the college level, and it struck me as a beautiful job of a change of sets and scenery.

The further we get away from the 20th century war years, the less humorous some of the spoofs of military management seem to be. I may have found this film much funnier years ago, but it seems to me now to be just OK or good. This is a comedy of situations, not witty dialog. And, its humor derives to a great extent from the variety of characters. But for one, I could have rated it a notch or two higher.

Glenn Ford just does not deliver the humor in his role as Capt. Fisby. He moves between a hapless, seemingly lazy guy who has lots of bad luck, to a frenetic, nervous character who's worried about doing things right. Then, he becomes a very laid back, un-excitable character who doesn't seem like anything will ruffle him. It just doesn't seem to work. The right actor might be able to deliver that, but it doesn't work for Ford. And, that's too bad, because as one of the two main leads, his character is a great part of the film. I know Ford was capable of great acting, but his interpretation for this role misses the mark.

Now, what earns the film seven stars from me are three performances and the local extras. Marlon Brando is excellent as Sakini, Eddie Albert is fantastic as Capt. McLean, and Paul Ford is superb as Col. Purdy. Purdy and McLean are the sources of most of the funny streaks of this film. We see a good contrast in how Albert transforms from the straight-laced psychologist to the giddy gardener. It works beautifully for him, and he is superb in that role. Paul Ford is a wonderful character actor who plays bombastic buffoons with bravado. And, Brando is excellent as the wonderful interpreter whom we know translates things to come out his way. His opening dialog is very good – in Oriental theatre style, he is the narrator who gives the story's background and sets the stage, so to speak.

Films in which white actors play other races draw the ire of some people yet today. If they are derogatory of the race or character, they surely should be criticized. But, otherwise not. Because this is theater (on stage or on film), and that is part of what acting is all about. Making one's self into another character or person, of whatever age, race, physical condition, mental state or appearance – is a hallmark of acting. To aspiring thespians or established actors, the challenge of a different or demanding role is energizing. I played Hsieh Ping-Kuei in a college production of "Lady Precious Stream" by Chinese playwright and director S.I. Hsiung. Mr. Hsiung went to London in 1932 to pursue post- graduate studies of Shakespeare. Shortly after his arrival, he wrote Lady Precious Stream in English, adapting it from his Chinese culture. It was a huge success, running for 1,000 performances in 1935 and 1936 at the People's National Theatre of London. Its cast was all Caucasian, and in 1936 it moved to Broadway in the U.S. where is success continued. It was made into movies in England in 1938 and 1950, adapted by Hsiung, again with Caucasian casts.

I should like to see someone make a movie of "Lady Precious Stream" shot on location with the full original script. It could be with Asians in all the roles, or it could include a mix if one or more Western stars wanted to tackle a Chinese role. I think many Western audiences today would enjoy it immensely. The story is a romantic, sometimes comic, domestic drama set in a time of instability during the Tang Dynasty.

In the meantime, "Teahouse of the August Moon" can entertain as a comic look at U.S. military management in a conquered country whose culture is much different from that of America.

I have spent many years on Okinawa and am always amazed at Brando's ability to create a character (Sakini) that is true to the Okinawan character. I have watched it many times over and enjoy it every time. When I'm asked why I visit Okinawa so often, I usually loan them my copy of "Teahouse" and wait for a response. It is a story of a resilient and happy people who have retained their culture, through many invasions. Brando's monologue at the beginning and end of the film masterfully explains it all. The kids will like it and adults should get a laugh while watching the arrogant victors being steered to the Okinawan's needs in a hilarious manner. It's not quite history and it's not quite fantasy, but it's all good fun.

If you're not a fan of Glenn Ford's westerns, and you think he's merely an ordinary everyman, check out his timed perfection in The Teahouse of the August Moon. With such great talent, it's a wonder Jack Lemmon rose to stardom so quickly. Glenn has all the hesitation, stammering, exasperation, and desire to fix that it takes to be a comic genius. If the first time around, you don't catch all his jokes, don't worry. You were just laughing so hard, you couldn't keep up with the fast pace.

Every time I watch this delightful gem, I laugh myself sick. It does have a long running time, but it certainly goes by quickly. Glenn Ford's character is stationed in Okinawa after WWII, to oversee reconstruction and the wellbeing of the Japanese people. But in his mission to spread democracy, he's completely clueless in his new environment. Marlon Brando plays the scene-stealing Sakini, a Japanese interpreter who winks at and nudges the audience when he wants to make an inside joke. But even with an interpreter, Glenn still finds himself getting into one misunderstanding after another.

While it's seen as "white washing" by today's standards, Marlon Brando didn't intend for his performance to be offensive. In fact, he lived in a nearby Japanese village for four months to absorb the mannerisms, accent, and mentality of the local people. I found his portrayal of the savvy interpreter to be flawless; not only that, but I couldn't find any trace of his usual expressions or gestures. He completely transformed himself.

The story is heartwarming, funny, smart, and bittersweet. From Eddie Albert's obsession with soil and worms to Machiko Kyo's touching tea ceremony, this 1956 comedy is a one-of-a-kind gem with countless delightful moments.

This movie was the first chance to see Marlon Brando in a truly comical role, not the "He Man"-unbelievably good! His accent, his body movements, the Japanese he spoke, hard to believe this was the same man who did the Waterfront.I really think he deserved an award for this role. These were a couple of the most enjoyable hours I've ever spent. Having lived in Okinawa, and familiar with the practical, down-to-earth people there, I enjoyed the movie that makes so much fun and caricatures narrow-mindedness and pompousness while exalting creativity, adaptation, and "what really matters". The movie does make fun of the narrow-mindedness of some Americans, and shows the Okinawans with respect and tenderness, as assertive, business-minded, resilient, and proud. A real quality movie, and I'm so glad I taped it from Turner Classic movies.10 out of 10.

I love Marlon Brando and I love comedy movies. The comedy in this movie has not aged well at all, in fact I would call it "tiring" in most scenes. The constant antics of the villagers actually get irritating as early as when the Captain is trying to get his jeep packed so he can leave the base. It didn't get better from there. Brando does a nice job playing the Japanese interpreter however; but since he's Brando that's to be expected. It was also interesting seeing a young Harry Morgan playing a military man decades before he did so on MASH.

I'd avoid this one. I picked it up for $3 from Big Lots and I feel like I vastly overpaid.

What a disappointment.

This film is an under-appreciated and charming little adventure set in the time immediately after World War II. It has a very enjoyable mix of some excellently-cast actors, from the laid-back Glenn Ford, the frenetic Eddie Albert, and the pompous Paul Ford, to the host of beguiling Japanese actors. Casting Marlon Brando as Sakini requires a little suspension of belief, but his contribution quickly adds to the seductive quality of the movie. It turns out to be a good send-up of the officious, but largely benign, senior military leadership of the era, but largely revolves around Glenn Ford's character, Capt. Fisby, finding his métier. Mainly it is a loving and alluring little fiction about two peoples getting to know and appreciate each other.

It is a very nice little comedy to be enjoyed, but it clearly is not meant to be a documentary representation of U.S. Military occupation forces, and if it is viewed as such, much of the magic of the movie will be lost. While it may contain a few minor instances of the attitudes of that day, some of which are no longer politically correct, there is no malice in the characterizations and the overall message is one of appreciation of both cultures. A very enjoyable way to escape the hassle and hustle of today.

Yes, Brando is in yellowface and knowing he would be made me dread watching this film, but it was worth giving it a chance. For one thing, I never thought I would see a movie with Michiko Kyo aggressively trying to undress Glen Ford after being introduced to him by Marlon Brando. Ah, the magic of cinema.

The film is not without its issues which I'll get to in a moment, but on the positive side, it's not mean-spirited, and the real target of its satire is the U. S. Army brass, making it a forerunner of films like M*A*S*H. That's represented mostly by a pompous and dimwitted Colonel, Wainwright Purdy III ("a son of a ... son of a son", played by Paul Ford), who wants his Captain on Okinawa to lead the building of a pentagon-shaped (lol) schoolhouse. The only trouble is his Captain (Glen Ford) sees the wisdom of the local culture, and nudged along by his gently cunning translator (Brando), "goes native." A psychiatrist (Eddie Albert) is sent to check up on him, and he, too, ends up forgetting about the Colonel's commands.

Rather surprisingly, Brando was far from this film's biggest problem. His character is the most intelligent from either culture, practically and philosophically, and he gave a good performance, one without overtly offensive stereotypes. One could argue that he's too mild-mannered, too neutered, in keeping with the emasculation of Asian men by Hollywood, but the film is a comedy after all, and light-hearted all around. Obviously, this should have been cast with a person of Japanese descent, but to say the film is "racist" is too strong, and using it in places like this cheapens the word.

Meanwhile, through the characters of Glen Ford and Eddie Albert, several progressive concepts float through. For example, Ford sets up a co-op where everybody in the village is a partner so that they can "share and share alike" in the selling of their local products, including sweet potato brandy. "That's communism!" his commanding officer bellows. But this system is never shown to have some type of evil consequence, which was pretty impressive for the Red Scare/Cold War years in conservative America. Yes, he is essentially pushing capitalism, but it's notable that we also see that mass manufacturing has the unfair power to crush the little craftsmen and their handmade products.

Meanwhile, you have Albert's character pushing organic, chemical-free farming, about a decade ahead of his time for America. After extolling the virtues of using manure, he says "When you kill a worm, you're killing a friend." How I loved this little part of the film.

Through the locals, Ford's character learns the beauty of being still and appreciating a sunset. Perhaps my favorite moment was when he says this, which was delightfully contrary (or at least tempering) to the ambitions of his country at the time:

"I've learned in Tobiki the wisdom of gracious acceptance. See, I don't want to be a world leader. I've made peace with myself somewhere between my ambitions and my limitations."

It was also delightful to see Michiko Kyo here, playing traditional music and singing among other things. To the film's credit, Brando's character explains that a geisha is not the same as a western prostitute, but the use of a subservient geisha here, as in other films, was certainly part of the "exotic" appeal. As Gina Marchetti describes in Romance and the "Yellow Peril", many films in this period "used the myth of the subservient Japanese woman to shore up a threatened masculinity in light of American women's growing independence during World War II." Of the popularity of American films with geishas, she wisely points out: "For a time, in fact, it appeared as if the geisha was Hollywood's chief emblem of postwar reconciliation. Although on the surface she might appear cool, distant, mysterious, or morally suspect, underneath she was seen as docile, eager to please, malleable, childlike, and vulnerable. Metaphorically, a bellicose Japan, through the figure of the geisha, became a yielding and dependent nation."

On top of that, Ford's character does come across as a White Savior in some respects. For example, when he arrives at the village early on, he begins appointing people for local positions like Chief of Police, as if these things would have never been conceived of before. Thankfully, Brando's character balances some of this out, mentioning more than once that his civilization goes back thousands of years. The film does have a rather nauseating scene where Kyo's character wants to marry Ford's and come to America. With Brando seated behind Kyo as she demurely averted her gaze, Ford held all the power and in his wise beneficence, demurred, which just got to be a little much.

Overall, an interesting film, and certainly even more so when contrasting it to the tone and perspective of Japanese films from this period. It's flawed and not uproariously funny as a comedy, but I liked its spirit and was amused. It deserves criticism, but not as much vitriol as it gets.

I generally HATE the notion of "political correctness". I feel it is every American's first amendment right to say and do almost anything and that people who get offended should just learn to relax! Having said that, it is movies like THIS that encourage PC thought, as the movie has got to be offensive to most Japanese people. Not only did the studio pick an actor who looked COMPLETELY non-Japanese, but his part looked like a live-action version of the old Hoshimoto cartoons (as for his 'method acting', I think Marlon Brando watched dozens of these before attempting the part). Marlon Brando is nearly the Japanese equivalent to Stepin Fetchit. In the 1930s and 40s, it was common for Caucasians to play Asians (such as in the Charlie Chan or Mr. Wong pictures)--it's a shame to see this carry into the 1950s with Teahouse of the August Moon. Plus, his character is even more stereotypical than these earlier roles.

FYI--It's amazing that Brando did this movie, having also done the VERY sensitive movie Sayonara--a movie that really does a lot to humanize the Japanese. Also, for more highly offensive films featuring Westerners ridiculously cast as Asians, try Katherine Hepburn as a Chinese lady in DRAGON SEED, Mickey Rooney as a Japanese man in BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S and John Wayne as the Mongol warrior, Genghis Khan in THE CONQUERER. The worst, though, was probably the bright red hairdos of Susan Hayward and Agnes Morehead also from THE CONQUERER--even though they were clearly playing Mongolians!!!

Marlon Brando was amazing in this film. I saw the comments made on TCM before they started the film and they said he saw the stage play and begged Paramount (?) to let him have a part in it when they made the film. They said he could have any part he wanted and he picked Sakini, the translator. As a Japanese teacher I want to tell you that I was stunned at his perfect accent! He spoke English exactly as a native Japanese person would. If I hadn't been told ahead of time that it was Marlon Brando, there is no way you could have convinced me that it wasn't a native Japanese actor doing the part. I could see that an attempt was made to make the natives look uneducated and doltish, but having lived in Japan for a year and a half, I simply couldn't see them that way. All you have to do is take a few minutes to watch any people and see the intelligence in their eyes and in their mannerisms and you can see how intelligent they really are whether YOU understand their language or not!

This movie is a joke! A joke! Get it??? A joke from beginning to end.

And it's hysterical. From the patently ludicrous comedy turn by Marlon Brando to the patented comic shtick by the wonderful Paul Ford. With Glenn Ford and Eddie Albert sandwiched in the middle in a farcical romp that barely lets you stop laughing long enough to catch your breath.

Ah, the mighty American conquerors, hornswoggled by the "simple peasants" of the beaten nation. Peter Sellers did this again a few years later in The Mouse That Roared - - let's get the Americans to beat us in a war so they'll make us rich!

But this one is a LOT funnier. ***** out of *****

And by the way, when I sent this tape to my daughter she called me and said she liked the film but I told her Marlon Brando was in it, and he wasn't! Ah, these twentysomethings!

This movie is soooooo funny!

For those who think it is racist, wake-up!!! The Americans are the ones being made fun of! And Brando as a Japanese? Just hilarious!!! Who would have thought?!

I can't believe that some people are saying Glenn Ford stumbles while tying to ad-lib his lines... IT IS CALLED ACTING!!! And he does a wonderful job at it!!!

See this movie, and judge by yourself! 4 1/2 * out of 5

This is a creepy and unfunny movie. Marlon Brando is at his hammy worst. Paul Ford barely bothers to make facial expressions. Glenn Ford is game, and Eddie Albert does what he can. But mostly I spent the movie cringing at the horrible script and Brando's repulsive yellow-face performance.

I wonder what this movie looked like back in the 1950's when it was made. It was shortly after the end of World War II. Perhaps it was intended as a way to humanize the Japanese (by having a non-Japanese give a clichéd and hackneyed performance in bad makeup). Maybe this movie wasn't as creepy back then. I'm at a loss as to why anyone would consider it to be tolerable now.

I am amazed about some of the other comments here. This is a hilarious movie!!

Brando was great . . . no doubt. Some people say that this was an example of awful casting but I read somewhere that Brando saw the play and just loved it. He pushed for the movie to be made and insisted that he be given the role of "Sakini" so it was Brando himself who did that casting!

I just laughed out loud at many scenes in this movie. The initial meeting of Capt. Fisby (the amazing Glenn Ford) and Col. Purdy (the perfect Paul Ford) is GREAT! Also, the "wrestling match" between the Captain and his geisha is hysterical. This movie IS a classic! It is one of my favorites because of the great writing and the wonderful acting.

Glenn Ford is ALWAYS good and this one is no different. He IS Capt. Fisby and he is hilarious!! I've seen this movie many times and I know I will still watch it any time that it is on.

Enjoy!

What can I say about this film, except that it was an enormous disappointment. The comedy was mostly clumsy and nearly humorless, which made the whole thing extremely exhausting to watch. Even the cast couldn't save the film. Don't waste your time on this.

Casting Marlon Brando in this film as Sakini, a Japanese interpreter for American troops in post WW-II Japan is considered by many critics and film historians alike as one of the worst casting errors ever made in a film history. In my opinion, though, Marlon Brando is the one responsible for turning this quite an average film into a hillarious comedy. Yes, they really did it. With a little bit of make up and great effort from actor's part to learn Japanese mannerism and language in order to get an accent in his speech we have here Marlon Brando in his most unimaginable role. The rest of the cast is also quite good, namely Paul Ford as Colonel Waiwright Purdy III, a somehow cliche figure of stubborn, narrow minded US military officer and Glenn Ford by his side as Captain Fisby, for whom Brando's character Sakini ends up working as an interpreter and, of cause, unforgettable Machiko Kyo, as a spirited geisha, whom lovers of Japanese cinema must remember from Akira Kurosawa's films.

Directed by Daniel Mann (Butterfield 8, Come Back, Little Sheba) and based on John Patrick's stage play that was a big hit on Broadway at it's time, The Teahouse of the August Moon is slow in parts and in terms of some aspects of the story considerably aged and outdated but still funny and entertaining movie. 8/10

I saw «The Teahouse of the August Moon» today for the third time. The first time I watched it I was a small boy and it remained in my mind as something very pleasant. Then, a few years ago, I saw it again and thought that it had "graciously passed the test of time". Today I made an introduction about it for the personnel of the Electoral Court of Panama, as «The Teahouse…» started a series of film projections with later discussions about themes, subjects, situations, concepts contained in cinema. Movies like this one raise questions about democracy, military occupation, the meeting of cultures, the oppression of one culture over people from a different place with a different worldview, imperialism and so on. It is still an enchanting comedy with bright touches of satire, a few old- fashioned jokes and moving realizations by ordinary people –both American and Japanese-, which compensate for its artificiality, verbosity and Marlon Brando's forced characterization of the Japanese narrator. It does so with film editing that gives good rhythm to the plot (which has by itself a lot of vitality in the way it was directed); fine and fluid camera-work and funny performances by Glenn Ford and Machiko Kyo (who also dances a beautiful choreography). The third part is excessively formulaic in order to reach a cheerful conclusion, but it is after all a product of a time of world tension and political struggle, and in those situations, people ask for happy endings. Those were the days of the Cold War after World War II, with the anti-communist witch-hunting still fresh in everybody's minds, and the Hays Code still ruling the representation of life in all its manifestation, most notable eroticism, which is a strong element in the story. Watch it, it is very good.

Marlon Brando stars as a Japanese interpreter and Glenn Ford plays a captain who has been in almost every branch in the military. Ford is ordered to go to a Japanese village to teach the people about democracy and to build a schoolhouse in the shape of the pentagon. The Japanese are only interested in building a teahouse and their isn't enough money to build both. The Japanese try to sell some homemade stuff but it won't sell until Ford finds out that they also make brandy. The military can't get enough brandy, so they build a teahouse instead of a schoolhouse. The military don't like what Ford is doing so they send a psychiatrist but he ends up helping them out instead. I thought Glenn Ford was great here and Brando also did a good job.