Product Details

• Actors: Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford, Machiko Kyô, Eddie Albert, Paul Ford
• Directors: Daniel Mann
• Writers: John Patrick, Vern J. Sneider
• Producers: Jack Cummings
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Warner)
• VHS Release Date: September 1, 1998
• Run Time: 123 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301978633
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,692 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly Written Comedy, June 3, 2002

By 

Keisuke Hoashi "The Scarlet Manuka" (Sherman Oaks, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Teahouse of the August Moon [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Genetically, I am Japanese, so I was all set to hate this film for Marlon Brando's casting as an Okinawan. I was astonished to find myself loving his performance; I feel he perfectly captured the sardonically innocent attitude of Sakini, and suddenly developed a huge respect for his acting talents. Next, I started listening to the dialogue, and was amazed at its wittiness, intelligence, and perceptiveness. In fact, the title ("The Teahouse of the August Moon") never remotely suggested "comedy" to me; I was expecting another dreary wartime American Soldier / Japanese Geisha tale. Discovering this film to be among the best-written comedies in American Theatre history was the nicest shock I've had for a while. This is on a par with "MASH" in its smart skewering of the American military mind. But more important to me was the film's debunking of oriental stereotypes. A handful of Okinawans prove, in the end, to be more intelligent, resourceful, realistic, and adaptable than the entire US Government, simply by being themselves. To all so-called "Asian Americans": get over your (understandable) objections to "yellowface" and watch this film. I do agree that putting Marlon Brando in Oriental makeup would be unforgivably racist now, but I accept the reality that that was how things were routinely done in 1950s American film and theatre. Look past the makeup and you'll discover an absolutely wonderful film.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute and Subversive, April 12, 2006

By 

Only-A-Child - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Teahouse of the August Moon [VHS] (VHS Tape)

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.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars DVD???, February 4, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Teahouse of the August Moon [VHS] (VHS Tape)

When will we see a DVD??? (in widescreen please) Loved the movie but watching it on fullscreen VHS does ruin things a bit. Hope Warner Brothers will see what a gem theyve got in this movie and release a DVD soon.