Sayonara (1957)

6.7/10 • 147 min • Drama Romance

Overview

Air Force Major Lloyd Gruver is reassigned to a Japanese air base and is confronted with US racial prejudice against the Japanese people. The issue is compounded because a number of the soldiers become romantically involved with Japanese women, in defiance of US military policy. Ordinarily, a by-the-book officer, Gruver must take a position when a buddy of his, an enlisted man, Joe Kelly, falls in love with a Japanese woman, Katsumi, and marries her. Gruver risks his position by serving as best man at the wedding ceremony.

Cast

Marlon Brando

Major Lloyd Gruver

Patricia Owens

Eileen Webster

James Garner

Capt. Mike Bailey

Martha Scott

Mrs. Webster

Miiko Taka

Hana-ogi

Miyoshi Umeki

Katsumi

Red Buttons

Joe Kelly

Kent Smith

Gen. Webster

Douglass Watson

Col. Craford

Reiko Kuba

Fumiko-san

Soo Yong

Terukosan

Ricardo Montalban

Nakamura

Dennis Hopper

MP in Kelly's House / MP at Tokyo Airport (voice) (uncredited)

Peter Brown

Second Military Police (voice) (uncredited)

Kenner G. Kemp

General at Tokyo Airport (uncredited)

Ralph Moratz

Soldier in Washroom (uncredited)

Recommendations

Dear John
Wings
Purple Hearts
Firebird
Not Easily Broken
The Lucky One
Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between
The Choice
Endless Love
Turtles All the Way Down
Love Everlasting
Possession
Hell's Angels
The Bridges of Madison County
The Way We Were
Fahrenheit 451
The Object of My Affection
Legends of the Fall
Mrs. Miniver
Ali and Nino