You won't be disappointed!

Lack of good storyline.

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Adaptation of John Patrick's play about American soldier trying to teach Democracy to the Japanese in 1946 Okinawa. One-joke material about cultural assimilation isn't exactly politically-correct when seen today, but were these stale, frantic jokes ever amusing? Marlon Brando's performance as an Oriental interpreter has to be seen to be believed; he's lively, yes, but there's a concerted effort to make him appear clownish (this couldn't have been Brando winging it--director Daniel Mann must assume part of the blame). This silly story never gains any momentum, and the slapstick hijinks are broad but stilted (they have a mechanical feel which, again, should be attributed to the direction). Glenn Ford, Paul Ford and Eddie Albert are solid as always, but they get swallowed up in this unfunny facade. *1/2 from ****

NOW AVAILABLE ON DVD as part of the Marlon Brando Collection. One of the greatest Glenn Ford movies IMO. Brando disappears into the role of Sakini, an interpreter assigned to Captain Fisby, Glenn Ford. Area locations seem true to life, reminded me of my tour of duty on Okinawa with the US Marine Corps. Excellent situation comedy showing the influence of the Ryukyu Islands people on the US Army. Little geography follows: The Ryukyu Islands are a small chain of islands south of Japan and now once again part of Japan. Okinawa is the largest island, approximately 12 miles wide by 60 miles long at the maximums so the jeep driving around the island and continuing to run into water and fishing villages can be believed. Dip your toes into the East China sea on the eastern side of the island and swim in the Pacific Ocean on the west. Definitely a funny and feel good movie for the entire family.Socks Up, Boss!

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.

I saw this film when I was 17years old.Brando was King,Paul Ford was Colonel Hall in Sgt Bilko and I was at the Savoy,Brighton with Vivienne Wyman whose dad had a paper shop near the youth club.She had beautiful wavy black hair,a flawless complexion and I was the envy of the boys in the "Coffee Lounge".Life could not get any better.In retrospect not such an unlikely possibility.The war against Japan had only been over 12 years and the "Americanisation" of the rest of the world was on schedule . American largesse had kept Britain afloat both during and after the war;it was by now widespread throughout the "conquered" countries. The Japanese people had been redeemed through defeat and the Americans were prepared to be magnanimous in victory.Military Officers became advisors and democracy was shipped out in bulk whether it was wanted or not.No reasonable person could doubt their good intentions,but imposing an alien culture on the indigenous one is not a seamless process......and the "conquered" people may not be as conquered as you think..... That,in a nutshell,is the premise of "The Teahouse of the August Moon". The Americans poke gentle fun at themselves,Paul Ford does his good-natured bumbler schtick and Marlon Brando has great fun with those actor's friends the funny accent and make - up.There is some cod Japanese philosophy and the average American's ignorance of the rest of the world is lampooned. It was a time when in England we still spoke about "good Germans" (Rommel was a "good German" - Heydrich was not).By the same token,Sakini was a "good" Japanese man.We could not understand the Bushido code,therefore it was "bad".Sakini was cute looking and smiled a lot.You couldn't imagine him starving British P.O.W.s to death. At 17 I thought Brando's portrayal of a Japanese interpreter was brilliant and hilarious.Nearly fifty years later and I can't think of any other European/American actor who could have pulled it off. He was a young man at the height of his powers;rather like a juggler throwing more and more clubs into the air,there seemed to be nothing he could not do. Glenn Ford gets a rare chance to do comedy and reminds us of his versatility.Used to playing men with a past,here he plays a man without much future,at least not in the U.S.Army. Henry Morgan as usual makes every second of his screen time count.A major part in the long-running "M.A.S.H." was just reward for years of playing cops and noncoms in movies. It is pointless to call "The Teahouse of the August Moon" racist because the concept of racism as it exists now did not exist then.And by extension of course Marlon Brando must be racist - a quite ridiculous assertion. It is probably not a film for today;it may well be rediscovered in a more gentle age when the thought police are no longer trying to apply 21st century sensibilities on fifty year old movies. Strangely enough Vivienne didn't find it very funny - perhaps it was a bloke thing.I never got a date with her again.