Henry Okawa Movies
- 1961
This is a straightforward, unexceptional story about a platoon of Marines taken out of battle in Korea for some R & R in Tokyo, and then sent back to the front lines again. The four men are stereotypes found in many war stories: the simpatico country boy, the intellect though not overtly so, a rich, suave type, and a hard-as-nails tough-guy leader. These four friends are first seen in combat situations, then encountering all sorts of misadventures in Japan before they have to push off to do battle again. This was the penultimate film of director Raoul Walsh (who also provided the story for the script), unusual because he started directing in 1915 -- his career spanned fifty years. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Tryon, David Hedison, (more)
- 1958
The Wind Cannot Read is a tearful British star crossed romance effort set against the backdrop of World War II. RAF officer Dirk Bogarde is assigned to learn Japanese in order to interrogate prisoners. His language instructor is the lovely Yoko Tani, daughter of an anti-Tojo businessman. Bogarde and Tani fall in love and secretly marry. Not long afterward, Borgarde is captured and tortured by the Japanese. While listening to the POW camp radio loudspeaker, he hears the voice of Tani, broadcasting anti-British propaganda. At first heartbroken, Bogarde vows to be reunited with Tani when he discovers that she is dying from brain disease. Escaping from the camp, Bogarde finally makes his way to the hospitalized Tani, where they share a tender moment before death enshrouds her. Richard Mason based his script for The Wind Cannot Read on his own novel. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dirk Bogarde, Yoko Tani, (more)
The Bridge on the River Kwai opens in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in Burma in 1943, where a battle of wills rages between camp commander Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) and newly arrived British colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness). Saito insists that Nicholson order his men to build a bridge over the river Kwai, which will be used to transport Japanese munitions. Nicholson refuses, despite all the various "persuasive" devices at Saito's disposal. Finally, Nicholson agrees, not so much to cooperate with his captor as to provide a morale-boosting project for the military engineers under his command. The colonel will prove that, by building a better bridge than Saito's men could build, the British soldier is a superior being even when under the thumb of the enemy. As the bridge goes up, Nicholson becomes obsessed with completing it to perfection, eventually losing sight of the fact that it will benefit the Japanese. Meanwhile, American POW Shears (William Holden), having escaped from the camp, agrees to save himself from a court martial by leading a group of British soldiers back to the camp to destroy Nicholson's bridge. Upon his return, Shears realizes that Nicholson's mania to complete his project has driven him mad. Filmed in Ceylon, Bridge on the River Kwai won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for the legendary British filmmaker David Lean, and Best Actor for Guinness. It also won Best Screenplay for Pierre Boulle, the author of the novel on which the film was based, even though the actual writers were blacklisted writers Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson, who were given their Oscars under the table. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Holden, Alec Guinness, (more)
- 1955
Three Stripes in the Sun was based on The Gentle Wolfhound, a New Yorker article written by E. J. Kahn Jr. Set in postwar Japan, the film concerns the activities of three U.S.-occupation soldiers: Sergeant Hugh O'Reilly ( Aldo Ray), the Colonel (Phil Carey) and Corporal Neeby Muhlendorf (Dick York). Though he hates the Japanese with a passion, Sergeant O'Reilly softens as he gets to know the local citizenry. Soon, the hard-bitten sergeant is sneaking food provisions to Japanese children and donating his GI pay towards the building of an orphanage; he also falls in love with lovely interpreter Yuko (Mitsuko Kimura). Meanwhile, the Colonel handles his responsibilities with slick, military precision, while Corporal Muhlendorf spends his time looking for "action." Serving as technical advisor on Three Stripes in the Sun is Master Sergeant Hugh O'Reilly, the real-life model for the Aldo Ray character. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Aldo Ray, Philip Carey, (more)
- 1952
Despite her top billing, Martha Hyer does not play the title character in Geisha Girl. Filmed on location in Tokyo, the story concerns the misadventures of airline hostess Peggy Burns (Martha Hyer) and her GI suitors Rocky (William Andrews) and Archie (Archer MacDonald). Somehow or other, the intrepid trio comes into the possession of a top-secret weapon, leaving them at the mercy of a sabotage ring. The plot is essentially an excuse to display for the edification of American viewers such Japanese traditions as a Kabuki theater presentation, a Buddhist religious ceremony, and--of course--a geisha house. With the exception of the three stars, most of the cast of Geisha Girl is Japanese. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martha Hyer, Archer MacDonald, (more)
