For those of you who have never seen this one, you might want to settle down tonight, or pop in a video. It's the true story of a fairly well off daughter of an American family who marries a Japanese statesman a couple of years before WWII and goes to live with him in Japan. Naturally she's torn when Pearl Harbor happens, and is watched closely by the Japanese during the war as a spy suspect, but she's really only trying to keep her family together. There are several funny parts where she either doesn't understand or won't accept certain behaviors expected of Japanese wives, but basically it's a serious movie.
I had a crush on James Shegeta for months after seeing it and watched closely for more movies he was in, and of course until a couple of years ago, he was still around doing guest spots and playing Generals in war movies. This movie also helped me to admire Carroll Baker more as an actress. She's still a little stiff, but in most cases, she does a good job. If she hadn't gotten stuck in that dumb, sexy blond baloney like The Carpetbaggers, etc., she may have evolved into something special as an actress.
Anne
BRIDGE TO THE SUN
BRIDGE TO THE SUN
Anne
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moira finnie
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Anne, I've only seen parts of Bridge to the Sun, but have always wanted to see the entire film. I share your fondness for James Shigeta, whose work I've always enjoyed. I think he has one of the gentlest speaking voices of any contemporary actor. I wondered if he might appear in one of the promos for this month's films on TCM but haven't spotted him yet. I thought that he might not wish to participate for some reason or, given the fact that he's still a working actor, be too busy. I recently came across this telling quote from him, which seems to indicate that Mr. Shigeta might not enjoy the limelight all the time--as well as demonstrating a nice sense of perspective:
Did you see James Shigeta in the Western, Walk Like a Dragon (1960) the other night? I hadn't seen this movie since I was a kid. Once I got over the shock of seeing Mel Tormé as a psalm-singing gunslinger, I enjoyed it. The movie had zilch production values, (but then, so did one of our mutual faves, The Rifleman), and Jack Lord, God luv 'im, always seemed to be a bit stiff to me, but the lovely Nobu McCarthy, Josephine Hutchinson, J. S. & the James Clavell story were quite good.
"I think an actor's life is necessarily self-involved. And that's what I would like to get away from."
Did you see James Shigeta in the Western, Walk Like a Dragon (1960) the other night? I hadn't seen this movie since I was a kid. Once I got over the shock of seeing Mel Tormé as a psalm-singing gunslinger, I enjoyed it. The movie had zilch production values, (but then, so did one of our mutual faves, The Rifleman), and Jack Lord, God luv 'im, always seemed to be a bit stiff to me, but the lovely Nobu McCarthy, Josephine Hutchinson, J. S. & the James Clavell story were quite good.
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moira finnie
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Bridge to the Sun (1961)
I'm so glad that you liked Bridge to the Sun, Bogie.
Now that I've finally seen the entire film, I'm even more impressed with the real life story of this rather naive, headstrong girl from Tennessee and the Japanese diplomat Hidenari Terasaki, who was First Secretary at the Embassy in Washington when they met and who was considered to be among the most brilliant of his generation, though his liberalism and appreciation for America put him on a fast track to prison under Tojo and the samurai militarists who launched Japan into war. What incredible strength of character these two actual people must have had. One of the most interesting things about the film was the refusal to demonize either side in the conflict. Though the movie only touched on it briefly, I can't imagine what both went through with their own families in private as a result of their interracial marriage in the 1930s. After a bit of research I found that the real life daughter of the Terasakis, Mariko Terasaki Miller, is a poet who is still around and active in trying to be "the bridge between two cultures" her parents had hoped she might be. Here's an article with some of her eloquent thoughts and more about her life.
I'm really going to have to read Gwen Terasaki's book to find out how her husband stayed out of the hands of the secret police throughout the war before joining his wife and little girl deep in the country. I love outsiders views of any culture anyway and Japan's society has produced some remarkably good stories, such as those by the interesting Dutch writer, best known for mysteries, Jan van de Wetering.
My respect for James Shigeta's qualities as an actor have deepened even more. Even Carroll Baker, who normally strikes me as pretty shallow grew on me in this part, (and I loved the scene when she finally popped her cork with her husband's friends). James Shigeta, who is still active in the theatre and movies, seems puzzled in this 2006 interview that this finely told story isn't on dvd. Maybe TCM or some other clever marketer could find a way to put together a boxed set of Asians on Film which might include this movie. While the production was clearly restricted by a small budget, (and Carroll's hairdo was straight out of the salon '60s style), Shigeta's acting and the human themes of the story overcame many of the obvious compromises in the telling of the tale.
I think after last night's broadcast there might be alot of us who wonder when this one might get the treatment it deserves. I can't wait to see Shigeta next week in The Crimson Kimono & Flower Drum Song, which are listed below with the other films on next weeks slate at TCM. I haven't seen the Sam Fuller movie in ages nor Flower Drum Song, (which I mainly remember thinking was great long ago 'cause Jack Soo had such a big part in it!).
Upcoming movies in the Asians in Film Series:
Tuesday, June 24
Theme: Race Consciousness and the Civil Rights Era
8 p.m. The Crimson Kimono (1959)
9:30 p.m. The Mountain Road (1960)
11:30 p.m. Flower Drum Song (1961)
2 a.m. Enter the Dragon (1973)
Thursday, June 26
Theme: Contemporary Asian Images
8 p.m. Rush Hour 2 (2001)
10 p.m. The Joy Luck Club (1993)
12:30 a.m. The Killing Fields (1984)
3 a.m. Mr. Baseball (1992)
I hope anyone with comments about these movies will add them. Thank you.
Now that I've finally seen the entire film, I'm even more impressed with the real life story of this rather naive, headstrong girl from Tennessee and the Japanese diplomat Hidenari Terasaki, who was First Secretary at the Embassy in Washington when they met and who was considered to be among the most brilliant of his generation, though his liberalism and appreciation for America put him on a fast track to prison under Tojo and the samurai militarists who launched Japan into war. What incredible strength of character these two actual people must have had. One of the most interesting things about the film was the refusal to demonize either side in the conflict. Though the movie only touched on it briefly, I can't imagine what both went through with their own families in private as a result of their interracial marriage in the 1930s. After a bit of research I found that the real life daughter of the Terasakis, Mariko Terasaki Miller, is a poet who is still around and active in trying to be "the bridge between two cultures" her parents had hoped she might be. Here's an article with some of her eloquent thoughts and more about her life.
I'm really going to have to read Gwen Terasaki's book to find out how her husband stayed out of the hands of the secret police throughout the war before joining his wife and little girl deep in the country. I love outsiders views of any culture anyway and Japan's society has produced some remarkably good stories, such as those by the interesting Dutch writer, best known for mysteries, Jan van de Wetering.
My respect for James Shigeta's qualities as an actor have deepened even more. Even Carroll Baker, who normally strikes me as pretty shallow grew on me in this part, (and I loved the scene when she finally popped her cork with her husband's friends). James Shigeta, who is still active in the theatre and movies, seems puzzled in this 2006 interview that this finely told story isn't on dvd. Maybe TCM or some other clever marketer could find a way to put together a boxed set of Asians on Film which might include this movie. While the production was clearly restricted by a small budget, (and Carroll's hairdo was straight out of the salon '60s style), Shigeta's acting and the human themes of the story overcame many of the obvious compromises in the telling of the tale.
I think after last night's broadcast there might be alot of us who wonder when this one might get the treatment it deserves. I can't wait to see Shigeta next week in The Crimson Kimono & Flower Drum Song, which are listed below with the other films on next weeks slate at TCM. I haven't seen the Sam Fuller movie in ages nor Flower Drum Song, (which I mainly remember thinking was great long ago 'cause Jack Soo had such a big part in it!).
Upcoming movies in the Asians in Film Series:
Tuesday, June 24
Theme: Race Consciousness and the Civil Rights Era
8 p.m. The Crimson Kimono (1959)
9:30 p.m. The Mountain Road (1960)
11:30 p.m. Flower Drum Song (1961)
2 a.m. Enter the Dragon (1973)
Thursday, June 26
Theme: Contemporary Asian Images
8 p.m. Rush Hour 2 (2001)
10 p.m. The Joy Luck Club (1993)
12:30 a.m. The Killing Fields (1984)
3 a.m. Mr. Baseball (1992)
I hope anyone with comments about these movies will add them. Thank you.
I wished I would have taped it! 
Bogie:
I'm glad you enjoyed Bridge to the Sun. I always get a thrill when I can share something I truly like with someone else, and they also end up liking it.
I don't know if you saw any of James' other movies, but I hope you did and found them equally entertaining.
Anne
I'm glad you enjoyed Bridge to the Sun. I always get a thrill when I can share something I truly like with someone else, and they also end up liking it.
I don't know if you saw any of James' other movies, but I hope you did and found them equally entertaining.
Anne
Anne
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* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *
]***********************************************************************
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* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *
]***********************************************************************