The Teahouse Of The August Moon, 1956, as Sakini
Cast: Glenn Ford, Machik
Rating
Factoid
– Marlon had seen Teahouse several times during its Broadway run – with David Wayne playing Sakini and he approached MGM about buying the play for him. The studio was pleased to do so, even when Brando announced it was Sakini he yearned to play, rather than Captain Frisby (eventually played by Glenn Ford), the romantic lead.
– Always attracted to the philosophies and arts of the Far East, Marlon was delighted to be shooting a picture in Japan and his stay there was illuminating.
– Teahouse concerns a rowdy group of American Army officers, led by Captain Frisby (Ford) and stationed near Okinawa, who come to appreciate local traditions through the comic badgering of Sakini, a “genial, foxy Okinawan interpreter,” played by Brando.
– Glenn Ford and Brando, with their divergent backgrounds (Ford was a by-the-book product of the studio system), did not relate easily to one another. Ford resented the constant attention paid to Brando by fans and visiting reporters; Marlon didn’t understand his costar’s unwillingness to occasionally improvise dialogue or vary his performance.
– Production began with Louis Calhern playing Col. Purdy, but Calhern died after more than a month of filming. His scenes were reshot with Paul Ford (I).
– The movie opened in November 1956 to good business and reviews that praised Brando’s courage in taking a role so alien to his established image. It was agreed, however, that the delicate charm of the stage version had not translated fully to the screen.
– After seeing the picture for the first time, Brando commented, “It’s a shame. I hoped that at least some of the magic of the play would have come across on-screen.”
– The most positive result of the Teahouse experience was Marlon’s fascination with the Orient. He vowed to return as soon as possible. Coincidentally, his next film, Sayonara, allowed him to do precisely that.
Quotes from the movie
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