History Theatre / TheTeahouseOfTheAugustMoon

* {{Yellowface}}: At least one can say that Brando delivers a charismatic performance as the smartest character in the movie, not a mincing stereotype like Creator/MickeyRooney in ''Film/BreakfastAtTiffanys.'' To Brando's credit, he was likely aware of the UnfortunateImplications of his casting and did his best to give Sakini a sense of dignity. In going method for the role, Brando went out of the way to ''learn Japanese,'' with co-star Machiko Kyō coaching him.

* HelloNurse: Lotus Blossom, whose startling beauty is noticed by everybody. When Sakini says that Mr. Oshira, one of the village elders, left Tobiki specifically to help Lotus Blossom bring back all her things from Awasi, Frisby expresses incredulity. Sakini says "He old, boss, but he not dead."

* HappinessInSlavery: Well, Lotus Blossom is ''given'' to Capt. Fisby, and she isn't getting paid. And while she may not be a HighClassCallGirl, she is obviously perfectly happy to rub Capt. Frisby's feet and serve him tea and play music. Lotus Blossom says through Sakini that she likes Frisby because he doesn't hire her out to other people and take her wages.

* HelloNurse: Lotus Blossom, whose startling beauty is noticed by everybody. When Sakini says that the old guy who hitched a ride went to Tobiki specifically for Lotus Blossom, Frisby expresses incredulity. Sakini says "He old; he not dead."

* RoleReprisal: Paul Ford as Purdy. He had played the role on Broadway over 3,000 times before replacing the original actor Louis Calhern, who unfortunately suffered a bit of ActorExistenceFailure before filming.

* {{Yellowface}}: At least one can say that Brando delivers a charismatic performance as the smartest character in the movie, not a mincing stereotype like Creator/MickeyRooney in ''Film/BreakfastAtTiffanys.''
** To Brando's credit, he was likely aware of the UnfortunateImplications of his casting and did his best to give Sakini a sense of dignity. In going method for the role, Brando went out of the way to ''learn Japanese,'' with co-star Machiko Kyō coaching him.

* DramaticIrony: Col. Purdy says "It's bound to get lonely for you over there" as Fisby, on the other end of the telephone, is desperately trying to fend off the attentions of Lotus Blossom.

The story, a comedy, is set in Okinawa in 1946, during the American occupation. Ford is Captain Fisby, a well-meaning but ineffectual officer sent by his commander, Col. Purdy, to Americanize the village of Tobiki. Sakini (Brando) is his interpreter, a wily local who manipulates Purdy and Fisby for the good of the village. Capt. Fisby arrives in Tobiki intending to execute the rather rigid American game plan for reconstruction -- democracy unions, lectures on democratic government, a schoolhouse shaped like the Pentagon -- but the locals win him over and convince him to build a teahouse and start a distillery. Things are going swimmingly until a surprise visit from Col. Purdy (Paul Ford) threatens to ruin everything.

* TVTelephoneEtiquette: The entirety of Purdy's dialogue when he gets news of the visiting Congressional delegation is "Who?...What?...When?...Oh!". Then he hangs up the phone.

* DeusExMachina: Col. Purdy orders the demolition of the teahouse and the stills -- but word of a visiting U.S. congressional delegation which views Tobiki as a success story forces him to restore everything.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: In his opening monologue Sakini says that the Okinawans are accustomed to hiding their stuff away when conquerors arrive. Towards the end he tells Col. Purdy that they didn't really destroy the teahouse and the stills as Col. Purdy had ordered, but rather hid them away.

** Fisby assumes she would be owned by men. Under normal circumstances she would belong to (and be contracted with) an okiya, which are run by women. Sakini does say that she pays dues to a geisha guild.

* HappinessInSlavery: Well, Lotus Blossom is ''given'' to Capt. Fisby, and she isn't getting paid.
** She's entitled to work independently and keep what she earns; she thanks him at one point for not hiring her out and taking the money.[[note]]When geisha begin working (usually as ''maiko'', apprentices) their pay goes to the okiya that invested a huge amount of money and materials in training them. Once the debt is paid off they can keep most of their earnings.[[/note]]

* {{Yellowface}}: At least one can say that Brando delivers a charismatic performance as the smartest character in the movie, not a mincing stereotype like Mickey Rooney in ''Film/BreakfastAtTiffanys.''

''The Teahouse of the August Moon'' began life as a 1951 novel by Vern Schneider, which was adapted into a UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning 1953 play, and then into a 1956 film starring Creator/MarlonBrando, Creator/GlennFord, and Creator/MachikoKyo.

''The Teahouse of the August Moon'' began life as a 1951 novel by Vern Schneider, which was adapted into a UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize winning 1953 play, and then into a 1956 film starring Creator/MarlonBrando, Creator/GlennFord, and Creator/MachikoKyo.

''The Teahouse of the August Moon'' began life as a 1951 novel by Vern Schneider, which was adapted into a UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize winning 1953 play, and then into a 1956 film starring Creator/MarlonBrando, Creator/GlennFord, and Machiko Kyo.

The story, a comedy, is set in Okinawa in 1946, during the American occupation. Ford is Captain Fisby, a well-meaning but ineffectual officer sent by his commander, Col. Purdy, to Americanize the village of Tobiki. Sakini (Brando) is his interpreter, a wily local who manipulates Purdy and Fisby for the good of the village. Capt. Fisby arrives in Tobiki intending to execute the rather rigid American game plan for reconstruction -- democracy unions, lectures on democratic government, a schoolhouse shaped like the Pentagon -- but the locals win him over and convince him to build a teahouse and start a distillery. Things are going swimmingly until a surprise visit from Col. Purdy threatens to ruin everything.

Something of a PlayingAgainstType role for Brando, who didn't do a lot of light comedies.

''The Teahouse of the August Moon'' began life as a 1951 novel by Vern Schneider, which was adapted into a UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize winning 1953 play, and then into a 1956 film starring Creator/MarlonBrando and ''Glenn Ford.''

** She's entitled to work independently and keep what she earns; she thanks him at one point for not hiring her out and taking the money.
--> '''Sakini:''' She say she very happy to belong to handsome captain.

* {{Bookends}}: Sakini addresses the audience at the beginning of the film and the end.

* HypercompetentSidekick / TheJeeves: Sakini is this, a benevolent trickster who manipulates Fisby into throwing away the occupation playbook (that's a LiteralMetaphor, there's an actual playbook) and doing real good in rebuilding the town.

''The Teahouse of the August Moon'' began life as a 1951 novel by Vern Schneider, which was adapted into a UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning 1953 play, and then into a 1956 film starring Creator/MarlonBrando and Creator/GlennFord.

The story, a comedy, is set in Okinawa in 1946, during the American occupation. Ford is Captain Fisby, a well-meaning but ineffectual officer sent by his commander, Col. Purdy, to Americanize the village of Tobiki. Sakini (Brando) is his interpreter, a wily local who manipulates Purdy and Frisby for the good of the village. Capt. Fisby arrives in Tobiki intending to execute the rather rigid American game plan for reconstruction--democracy unions, lectures on democratic government, a schoolhouse shaped like the Pentagon--but the locals win him over and convince him to build a teahouse and start a distillery. Things are going swimmingly until a surprise visit from Col. Purdy threatens to ruin everything.

!!The Tropehouse of the August Moon:

* BookEnds: Sakini addresses the audience at the beginning of the film and the end.

* DeusExMachina: Col. Purdy orders the demolition of the teahouse and the stills--but word of a visiting U.S. congressional delegation which views Tobiki as a success story forces him to restore everything.

--> '''Sakini''': She say she very happy to belong to handsome captain.

* ReassignedToAntarctica: Why Captain Fisby is sent to Okinawa, after an unsuccessful Army career that included botching a unit's payroll in his last assignment.
* {{Yellowface}}: At least one can say that Brando delivers a charismatic performance as the smartest character in the movie, not a mincing stereotype like Mickey Rooney in ''Film/BreakfastAtTiffanys''.
** To [[Creator/MarlonBrando Brando's]] credit, he was likely aware of the UnfortunateImplications of his casting and did his best to give Sakini a sense of dignity. In going method for the role, Brando went out of the way to ''learn Japanese'', with co-star Machiko Kyō coaching him.
* YourNormalIsOurTaboo: DiscussedTrope. Sakini notes in his opening narration how nude statuary in Okinawa isn't socially acceptable, but men and women bathing together in public is.

''The Teahouse of the August Moon'' began life as a 1951 novel by Vern Schneider, which was adapted into a UsefulNotes/PulitzerPrize-winning 1953 play, and then into a 1956 film starring Creator/MarlonBrando and Glenn Ford.

The story, a comedy, is set in Okinawa in 1946, during the American occupation. Ford is Captain Frisby, a well-meaning but ineffectual officer sent by his commander, Col. Purdy, to Americanize the village of Tobiki. Sakini (Brando) is his interpreter, a wily local who manipulates Purdy and Frisby for the good of the village. Capt. Frisby arrives in Tobiki intending to execute the rather rigid American game plan for reconstruction--democracy unions, lectures on democratic government, a schoolhouse shaped like the Pentagon--but the locals win him over and convince him to build a teahouse and start a distillery. Things are going swimmingly until a surprise visit from Col. Purdy threatens to ruin everything.

* CultureClash: Much humor derives from the {{Eagleland}} nature of Capt. Frisby and how he reacts to the natives.

* {{Geisha}}: Portrayed pretty accurately. Frisby assumes that Lotus Blossom is a HighClassCallGirl but Sakini explains that her job is dancing, conversation, and companionship.
* GoingNative: By the time Col. Purdy arrives in Tobiki, Capt. Frisby is wearing a kimono and wooden shoes.
* HappinessInSlavery: Well, Lotus Blossom is ''given'' to Capt. Frisby, and she isn't getting paid.

* HypercompetentSidekick / TheJeeves: Sakini is this, a benevolent trickster who manipulates Frisby into throwing away the occupation playbook (that's a LiteralMetaphor, there's an actual playbook) and doing real good in rebuilding the town.

--> "My job is to teach these natives the meaning of democracy."
* MightyWhiteyAndMellowYellow: Lotus Blossom is clearly besotted with Capt. Frisby, and he with her. At the end she asks to marry him, but he says he wants to leave their relationship pure.
* ReassignedToAntarctica: Why Captain Frisby is sent to Okinawa, after an unsuccessful Army career that included botching a unit's payroll in his last assignment.

''The Teahouse of the August Moon'' began life as a 1951 novel by Vern Schneider, which was adapted into a PulitzerPrize-winning 1953 play, and then into a 1956 film starring Creator/MarlonBrando and Glenn Ford.

!!Tropes:

* YourNormalIsOurTaboo: DiscussedTrope. Sakini notes in his opening narration how nude statuary in Okinawa isn't socially acceptable, but men and women bathing together in public is.

* {{Yellowface}}: At least one can say that Brando delivers a charismatic performance as the smartest character in the movie, not a mincing stereotype like Mickey Rooney in Film/BreakfastAtTiffanys.