“The Barbarian and the Geisha” is a film that would attract audiences today. People with open minds. People who accept other cultures worldwide and those interested in traditional Japanese culture would enjoy the film. It’s not the best John Wayne film but I do give 20th Century Fox, especially director John Huston a lot of credit for the making of this film that is loosely based on the first US Consult General of Japan, Townsend Harris and also filming it in Japan. It’s a good film worth checking out!
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Image courtesy of © 1958 Twentieth Century Fox. All Rights Reserved.
TITLE: The Barbarian and the Geisha
YEAR OF FILM: 1958
DURATION: 105 Minutes
BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, 2:35:1, English 4.0 DT-HD Master Audio, Spanish Mono, French Mono, Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
COMPANY: 20th Century Fox
RATED: G
RELEASE DATE: November 13, 2012
Directed by John Huston
Screenplay by Charles Grayson
Producer: Eugene Frank
Executive Producer: Darryl F. Zanuck
Music by Hugo Friedhofer
Cinematography by Charles G. Clarke
Edited by Stuart Gilmore
Art Direction by Jack Martin Smith, Lyle R. Wheeler
Set Decoration by Don Greenwood, Jr., Walter M. Scott
Costume Design by Charles Le Maire
Starring:
John Wayne as Townsend Harris
Eiko Ando as Okichi
Sam Jaffe as Henry Heusken
So Yamamura as Governor Tamura
A geisha is sent to spy on U.S. diplomat Townsend Harris, unwelcome in 1850s Japan. Directed by John Huston.
Back in the 1850s, the story of how Townsend Harris became the first United States Consul General to Japan was written about in publications and books.
It was Harris who negotiated the “Harris Treaty” between the US and Japan and is credited as the diplomat who opened the Empire of Japan to foreign trade and culture in the Edo Period.
Under the go ahead of 14th President of the United States, Franklin Pierce, Harris and his translator were sent to Japan and arrived in Shimoda, Japan as part of Commodore Perry opening trade between US and Japan in 1854, Harris job was to secure the trade between both countries despite the Japanese not wanting the foreigners on their land.
But eventually, Townsend Harris kept patient, eventually learned about Japanese culture and earned the respect of the people (which was a major challenge, especially during those tense times where the Japanese government were split about opening Japan to trade).
In 1928, Juichiyagi Saburo wrote “Karajin to Okichi” (The Barbarian and Okichi) which was inspired by factual accounts through historical records involving Townsend Harris who in real life hired a washwoman named Okichi who was fired as she had boils on her face. He didn’t want her around (and the fact a foreigner turned her down kind of made her to an outcast), but Juichiyagi’s story changed Okichi to be a beautiful woman and even more loosely based thanks to the story by Ellis St. Joseph, in which Okichi is now a geisha and would receive a film adaptation courtesy of Charles Grayson.
In 1958, renown filmmaker John Huston (“The Treasure of the Sierra Madre”, “Chinatown”, “Key Largo, “The African Queen”) would create a film starring John Wayne (which the two didn’t get along at all during the filming which led Wayne punching Huston) and star newcomer, Eiko Ando.
Despite John Huston denouncing the film due to 20th Century Fox heavily editing the film, when Huston wanted to make a Japanese film, Huston criticized the film for only including a few edits representing his own vision of the film.
The film didn’t do well in the box office but has regained a following as it’s a John Huston directed film, a film starring Hollywood film legend John Wayne, but also a 20th Century Fox film shot in Kyoto and Nara, Japan and interior scenes shot in Los Angeles.
The film was released on Blu-ray/DVD in North America in 2012 courtesy of 20th Century Fox.
“The Barbarian and the Geisha” begins with the Obon Festival in a town in Shimoda Prefecture. But the celebration was short-lived as those in the watchtower see a huge black ship arriving towards the port. As Townsend Harris (portrayed by John Wayne), the U.S. Consult General to Japan and his translator Henry Heusken (portrayed by Sam Jaffe) along with three Chinese servants are riding on a boat off the huge black ship, Governor Tamura (portrayed by So Yamamura) tells his men to tell the foreigners to leave now.
But Harris tells them that he’s staying as part of the treaty written by Commodore Matthew Perry two years before and accepted by the Shogun. Because a treaty was signed and despite not wanting to let the foreigners into their land, Governor Tamura must accept.
As Harris steps down, the Japanese run away in horror (as the white men are looked at as barbarians).
Tamura tells them that they are not going to stay long but offers to house them briefly. Immediately Harris upsets them by having the American flag hoisted above. He is asked by Tamura’s men to remove the flag.
Then when Harris and Sam walk to the town market, everyone was told not to assist them and so, Harris and Henry are not served. This upsets Harris who tells the Governor that he wants passage to Edo to speak to the Shogun. But the Governor refuses to accept Harris’ credentials and does not want to deny him any official status.
But that all changes when he receives a letter from the Shogun that he must do all he can to make Townsend Harris happy.
So, while Governor Tamura tries to give certain liberties to Townsend very cautiously, he notices Harris staring at the beautiful and popular geisha, Okichi (portrayed by Eiko Ando). This then leads the government to make Okichi to spy but also assist Harris.
When Townsend and Harris arrive back home, they see Okichi with her luggage and that she was moving in with him. Not wanting her to be there, he tells her to go back, but then realizes, she could be useful in teaching him about Japanese culture.
That night, Okichi expected Harris to walk into her room and rape her, but he never goes to her room, he treats her with respect and eventually, the two learn to communicate with each other and grow closer. In fact, they start to feel attracted towards each other but Harris knows that his reason for being in Japan is urgent to his country.
But when another ship comes near Shimoda, Harris goes to check on them and they are told that the men have cholera and a doctor is needed. Knowing Japanese culture and not wanting the men to infect the town, he tells them to stay in their boat. But instead, the sick men jump off their boat and swim to Shimoda (as Harris screams to the Japanese to not touch them or get near them as they are sick and infected) but not understanding Harris’ English, the Japanese villagers help them.
This leads to a cholera epidemic that hits the town hard and may prevent Townsend Harris of completing the duties of what he was sent to Japan for.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“The Barbarian and the Geisha” comes with:
- Fox Movietone News: Barbarian’s Geisha Her for Premiere
- Fox Movietone News: Barbarian and Geisha Rates Critical Raves
- Fox Movietone News: Paris and Milan Premieres
- Fox Movietone News: Milan Premiere
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- Photo Gallery
EXTRAS:
“The Barbarian and the Geisha” comes with both the Blu-ray and DVD for the film.
Part of me wanting watch “The Barbarian and the Geisha” aside from being a John Huston and John Wayne film is the fact that John Wayne is in a film shot in Japan.
While director John Huston wanted to make a Japanese film, which was edited heavily to make it an entertaining film for American audiences, an action/drama film about John Wayne and a Japanese geisha probably didn’t arouse the curiosity of an international audience.
Also, despite John Wayne being a Hollywood legend for his roles as a World War II hero (especially with the “Sands of Iwo Jima” which was popular ten years before and the 1954 film “High and Mighty”) and a western hero, let alone in starring in a plethora of action films, perhaps the film was not so long after World War II and people were not ready for anything Japanese until 1963 when singer Kyu Sakamoto released his hit Japanese song “Uewo Muite Arukou” (aka “Sukiaki”) was released in the US and became the first Japanese song to sell over a million copies and remain number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks.
But nevertheless, I feel that “The Barbarian and the Geisha” is a film that probably will attract more viewers now, especially many who appreciate Japanese culture and also historically inspired films.
Having reviewed many Japanese films in my lifetime, I enjoyed “The Barbarian and the Geisha”. For one, John Wayne fit the role of Townsend Harris very well, the incorporation of traditional Japanese culture in the film was also quite surprising and filming in Japan was very cool to see.
While Japanese dialogue is spoken among the villagers, the film doesn’t feature any English subtitles for viewers to understand what’s going on but the overall storyline gets to the point and is easy to follow as we see how villagers start to respect Townsend Harris. Actor Henry Heusken had the challenging role of speaking in Japanese, although not perfectly, it felt right that an American wasn’t so fluent. And as for the Japanese actors, Eiko Ando who was a beginning actress selected for her beauty and height, did a great job, as did So Yamamura as the Governor.
But perhaps it’s Ellis St. Joseph’s ability to take Harris’ ordeal and add a dramatic element and action sequences that make “The Barbarian and the Geisha” to be an entertaining Hollywood film.
It’s important to note that Okichi’s character was highly dramatized and not true, but the interaction between Harris and Okichi were well-done. Possibly the biggest action sequences involve Harris in a fight and of course, the cholera epidemic.
I actually went through the classic books about Towsend Harris and did a lot of research to find no account of cholera epidemic in the area, no reference by Harris about the cholera epidemic, nor does he mention Okichi. Nor did I read any details of an assassination attempt on Harris’ life.
So, one shouldn’t take this film as 100% factual but the storyline is made entertaining because of those fictional depictions.
Overall, “The Barbarian and the Geisha” is a film that would attract audiences today. People with open minds. People who accept other cultures worldwide and those interested in traditional Japanese culture would enjoy the film. It’s not the best John Wayne film but I do give 20th Century Fox, especially director John Huston a lot of credit for the making of this film that is loosely based on the first US Consult General of Japan, Townsend Harris and also filming it in Japan. It’s a good film worth checking out!
Click here to purchase this film on Amazon
