Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Sayonara

  • 19571957
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 2h 27m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
6.9K
YOUR RATING
Marlon Brando and Miiko Taka in Sayonara (1957)
A US Air Force major in Kobe confronts his own opposition to marriages between American servicemen and Japanese women when he falls for a beautiful performer.
Play trailer4:00
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Drama
  • Romance
A US Air Force major in Kobe confronts his own opposition to marriages between American servicemen and Japanese women when he falls for a beautiful performer.A US Air Force major in Kobe confronts his own opposition to marriages between American servicemen and Japanese women when he falls for a beautiful performer.A US Air Force major in Kobe confronts his own opposition to marriages between American servicemen and Japanese women when he falls for a beautiful performer.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
6.9K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Joshua Logan
  • Writers
    • Paul Osborn(screen play)
    • James A. Michener(based on the novel by)
  • Stars
    • Marlon Brando
    • Ricardo Montalban
    • Patricia Owens
Top credits
  • Director
    • Joshua Logan
  • Writers
    • Paul Osborn(screen play)
    • James A. Michener(based on the novel by)
  • Stars
    • Marlon Brando
    • Ricardo Montalban
    • Patricia Owens
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 53User reviews
    • 24Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 4 Oscars
      • 8 wins & 18 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 4:00
    Trailer

    Photos107

    Marlon Brando and Miiko Taka in Sayonara (1957)
    Marlon Brando and Miiko Taka in "Sayonara" 1957 Warner Bros.
    Marlon Brando and Miiko Taka in "Sayonara" 1957 Warner Bros.
    Marlon Brando with Miiko Taka in "Sayonara" 1957 Warner Bros.
    Marlon Brando in "Sayonara" 1957 Warner Bros.
    Marlon Brando Miyoshi Umeki and Red Buttons in "Sayonara" 1957 Warner Bros.
    "Sayonara" Red Buttons 1957 Warner
    "Sayonara" James Garner, Marlon Brando, Miyoshi Umeki, Red Buttons 1957 Warner Bros.
    Marlon Brando on the set of "Sayonara"
    Sayonara (1957)
    Sayonara (1957)
    Marlon Brando in Sayonara (1957)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Marlon Brando
    Marlon Brando
    • Major Lloyd Gruveras Major Lloyd Gruver
    Ricardo Montalban
    Ricardo Montalban
    • Nakamuraas Nakamura
    Patricia Owens
    Patricia Owens
    • Eileen Websteras Eileen Webster
    James Garner
    James Garner
    • Captain Mike Baileyas Captain Mike Bailey
    Martha Scott
    Martha Scott
    • Mrs. Websteras Mrs. Webster
    Miiko Taka
    Miiko Taka
    • Hana-Ogias Hana-Ogi
    Miyoshi Umeki
    Miyoshi Umeki
    • Katsumias Katsumi
    Red Buttons
    Red Buttons
    • Joe Kellyas Joe Kelly
    Kent Smith
    Kent Smith
    • General Mark Websteras General Mark Webster
    Douglass Watson
    Douglass Watson
    • Colonel Crawfordas Colonel Crawford
    • (as Douglas Watson)
    Reiko Kuba
    • Fumiko-Sanas Fumiko-San
    Soo Yong
    Soo Yong
    • Teruko-Sanas Teruko-San
    Shochiku Kagekidan Girls Revue
    • Theatrical Revueas Theatrical Revue
    Peter Brown
    Peter Brown
    • Second Military Policeas Second Military Police
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Jane Chung
    • Undetermined Secondary Roleas Undetermined Secondary Role
    • (uncredited)
    Carlo Fiori
    • Chaplainas Chaplain
    • (uncredited)
    Dennis Hopper
    Dennis Hopper
    • Military Policeas Military Police
    • (voice)
    • (uncredited)
    Kenner G. Kemp
    Kenner G. Kemp
    • General at Tokyo Airportas General at Tokyo Airport
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Joshua Logan
    • Writers
      • Paul Osborn(screen play)
      • James A. Michener(based on the novel by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Teahouse of the August Moon
    6.7
    The Teahouse of the August Moon
    The Young Lions
    7.2
    The Young Lions
    The Ugly American
    6.6
    The Ugly American
    Julius Caesar
    7.2
    Julius Caesar
    Viva Zapata!
    7.3
    Viva Zapata!
    The Wild One
    6.8
    The Wild One
    The Fugitive Kind
    7.1
    The Fugitive Kind
    Mutiny on the Bounty
    7.2
    Mutiny on the Bounty
    The Men
    7.1
    The Men
    Désirée
    6.3
    Désirée
    Guys and Dolls
    7.1
    Guys and Dolls
    Morituri
    7.0
    Morituri

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Audrey Hepburn was offered the role of a Japanese bride opposite Marlon Brando but turned it down. She explained that she "couldn't possibly play an Oriental. No one would believe me; they'd laugh. It's a lovely script, however I know what I can and can't do. And if you did persuade me, you would regret it, because I would be terrible."
    • Goofs
      In the last scene, when Major Gruver is leaving with Hana-Ogi and they are making their way to a car, Marlon Brando looks directly at the camera.
    • Quotes

      Hana-ogi: The pleasure does not lie in the end itself. It's in the pleasurable steps to that end.

    • Connections
      Featured in Slaying the Dragon (1988)
    • Soundtracks
      Sayonara
      ("Goodbye") (1957)

      Words and Music by Irving Berlin

      Performed by Miiko Taka (uncredited)

    User reviews53

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    A Landmark film
    The books of James Michener taking readers to faraway places with strange sounding names were probably at their most popular in the 1940s and 1950s. His Tales of the South Pacific became a major blockbuster Broadway hit for Rodgers&Hammerstein. South Pacific was directed by Joshua Logan and he was a natural to do the film adaption of another Michener success, Sayonara.

    It was only a decade before that American films during World War II did not portray the Japanese kindly. I'm sure it wasn't easy for people who fought the Pacific war to change attitudes overnight. That and a general no fraternization policy with occupied peoples in general are at the crux of this story about interracial romance.

    Sayonara is a relevant film today. The military has always butted in to the personal lives of its personnel in ways no civilian employer could get away with legally. In America at the time Sayonara was made there were still miscegenation laws on the books in many states. Today gays in the military is a big issue. Someone may one day do a Sayonara like film on that issue.

    Joshua Logan was on familiar ground. South Pacific also had racism as a component of its plot. With a sure hand, Logan assembled a great cast and crafts a beautiful story.

    Marlon Brando, Patricia Owens, James Garner, Kent Smith some of the occidental players do a fine job. But the picture is stolen by the orientals here. Miko Taka hits the mark beautifully as Brando's love interest. But the real stars are the two that one both Supporting players Oscars, Red Buttons and Miyoshi Umeki.

    Buttons is your everyman enlisted man Air Force member. He falls passionately in love with Katsumi played by Miyoshi Umeki. They marry and the military cruelly does everything they can to break them up. They presume to KNOW what's best for Buttons and Umeki. Buttons was a TV comedian and a fair talent, but he never got a part as good as this the rest of his career.

    And Miyoshi Umeki's Oscar was the first one given to an oriental. It got a great deal of attention because at the time of the Academy Awards, Miyoshi was starring on Broadway in Flower Drum Song. I was privileged to see it on Broadway, it was the first Broadway show I ever saw. I still carry the memory of it.

    That Oscar symbolized something else too. Our war with Japan was really over and we saw in Sayonara a great nation with a proud tradition and culture.

    Ricardo Montalban plays Nakamura, a Kabuki Theatre actor. If Sayonara were done today, Logan would never get away with it. But Montalban is fine.

    Good location photography and a grand story. This film should be revived more often it has a great moral.
    helpful•50
    13
    • bkoganbing
    • Mar 23, 2005

    FAQ4

    • What is 'Sayonara' about?
    • Is 'Sayonara' based on a book?
    • How does "sayonara" translate from Japanese into English?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 20, 1957 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Sayonara - Elveda
    • Filming locations
      • Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Pennebaker Productions
      • William Goetz Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $26,300,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 27 minutes

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Marlon Brando and Miiko Taka in Sayonara (1957)
    Top Gap
    What is the Spanish language plot outline for Sayonara (1957)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    Editors' Picks: What to Watch Now on Netflix
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    Hollywood Romances: Our Favorite Couples
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.