Academy Awards, USA 1962
| Nominee Oscar | Best Cinematography, Color Harry Stradling Sr. |
Warner Bros.
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)
Ray Danton accepts a new job in Tokyo, taking along not only his wife but his middle-aged mother-in-law, Rosalind Russell. During the long crossing aboard a ship, they meet wealthy industrialist Alec Guinness, whom Danton will be dealing with in negotiations in Japan. Guinness is attracted to Russell, and despite her initial misgivings she is also attracted to him. Once in Japan, she is invited to his house where he announces his intent to court her in a very traditional Japanese way. This threatens to upend Danton's business negotiations, not to mention the "interracial" overtones of the couple. Guinness is barely recognizable in heavy makeup and a Japanese accent. Only his immense acting talent allows him to pull it off. Russell is interminable as the stereotyped Jewish mother and their romance is unconvincing. Without it, the film almost falls apart, with only Guinness holding it together.
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