Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Zlatica One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Edgar Soberon Torchia 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.

dartleyk tried it again recently on tcm; so bad couldn't stay but dipped in again later and still terrible: story of recent post-war GIs goofed by locals is hackneyed; so is script; it tries to be funny but isn't really, and then loses it trying to show the perils of occupation- and how human the Japanese really are; yeah, if you want to forget the little tidbits like officers practicing beheadings of GI prisoners at the stern of a ship; great funny stuff for the movie? oh, not quite; and movie-wise it is almost a stage play filmed, incredibly static, phony backdrops, just dreadful; so lets say you tuned in just for brando- normally a good enough reason; holy cow- between the makeup, done as much as they could native Japanese, the put on accent, afraid it's akin to jolsen in blackface

elision10 This film made me realize how much we've lost as a country since the 1950s. According to Wikipedia at least, the book, play, and film were enormously popular for about 25 years, when political correctness set in, and liberals were oh-so-terribly aghast at Marlon Brando playing an Okinawan with a heavy accent. But it's Brando's character who is the most admirable in the movie -- sharp, perceptive, and cunning, but also warm, generous, and forgiving.All told, it's the Okinawans who come off well -- it is we Americans who seem rather ridiculous, with our notions of winning hearts and minds and spreading democracy. Remember that this film was made just ten years after WWII, when we were up against the Soviet Union, and democracy and "the American way" were at the heart of what we thought we were all about. But here is a film that completely satirizes, if not ridicules, all that, and yet it was enormously popular. Perhaps I'm looking at it through rose-tinted lenses -- there may well have been the Michael Savages and Rush Limbaughs of the day who inveighed against the Hollywood liberals seeking to undermine American resolve in the face of the Soviet threat and disgracing the memory of those who had died in WWII. But I think, more accurately, it was a time of greater American self- confidence, when we were able to laugh at ourselves more easily, and weren't terrified that this, that or another group might be ticked off. In short, this is a wise movie that should be seen by all those in power who have anything to do with how we conduct ourselves toward other nations and peoples -- as well as anyone who wants to see an entertaining but also educational film.

aimless-46 I've known that there was a film with the title "The Teahouse of the August Moon" for years but never had any interest in viewing it. I probably had it confused with "Sayonara", Marlon Brando's other post WWII Japan film. And there was never any reason to suspect that it was anything but a light comedy, as it was based on a stage play.But it turns out that rather than just a comedy, it is more like a subtly subversive satire on America's staggering conceit as a righteous force of change in the world. How they managed to convince the studio and the public that it was just a harmless little comedy would make a great story itself, considering that it was made during the blacklist days of red-baiting and mega paranoia. My guess is that its patronizing portrayal of Japanese culture, and its characterization of the Okinawans as simple childlike islanders provided sufficient misdirection to throw our guardians off the scent. Hollywood was pretty good at slipping stuff like this into the mainstream, where the actual nature of the satire was only apparent to the most discerning viewers.As others have noted, the film's message is actually more relevant today than at the time of its release; what with America's botched meddling in Viet Nam, Lebanon, Somalia, and Iraq. As "The Teahouse of the August Moon" illustrates, there seems to be a national compulsion to change the world and a chronic failure to realistically evaluate the complexities of these little adventures.On the flip side, many of those who attack the film as racist are also critical of "Eurotrip" for its stereotyped portrayal of Europe; failing to recognize that the target of both films is America and its simplistic view of the rest of the world.Anyway, "Teahouse" takes place shortly after the end of WWII as Captain Fisby, a Army Civil Affairs officer (Glenn Ford), is detailed to an Okinawan village to teach the natives about "democracy". His most important task is to construct a "pentagon" shaped school for the children. But with the arrival of a Geisha named Lotus Blossom (Machiko Kyo) the villagers decide that a teahouse (basically a copy of the Geisha houses they have heard about in the cities) should be built instead. When it appears that Fisby has become too acclimated to the native culture, his commanding officer sends a psychiatrist (Eddie Albert) to the village to evaluate his fitness for duty. Albert is soon co-opted and stays on in the village indulging his fantasy of running a farm. Marlon Brando plays a native interpreter and carries it off quite nicely, in fact the whole cast is solid with Kyo unexpectedly effective and very charming. Speaking only Japanese (and without subtitles), her performance is similar to some of the best silent film stuff. Although Brando translates her more important lines for Fisby (and for the audience) her nonverbal performance communicates so much that you are rarely even aware of the language gap. Brando does a nice commentary to begin and end the film. While "Teahouse" is hardly Oscar material it is entertaining and of considerable historical/ cultural interest.Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.