Bertha Jacoby (Rosalind Russell) lives a sheltered life in a Jewish Brooklyn neighborhood. Her nosy friend neighbor Essie Rubin warns about the encroaching minorities. She's a widower who lost her son during the war. Her daughter Alice is moving to Japan with her husband Jerry Black. They convince her to join them despite her grudge against the Japanese. On the boat ride to Japan, she befriends wealthy widowed Japanese businessman Koichi Asano (Alec Guinness).
It's just strange to see this award winning movie with modern eyes. Guinness and his eye makeup is trying to play Japanese. It's an anti-racism movie but it's also white-washing a lead character. It's old Hollywood and we cannot expect better. A sharp eye will catch George Takei in one of his early roles. Without movies like this, he wouldn't have a career. While ignoring the white-washing, it's not much in terms of a drama. This is all about the message and that's too easy. I just can't get over the kindhearted but still slightly mannered Japanese speech from Guinness.
It's just strange to see this award winning movie with modern eyes. Guinness and his eye makeup is trying to play Japanese. It's an anti-racism movie but it's also white-washing a lead character. It's old Hollywood and we cannot expect better. A sharp eye will catch George Takei in one of his early roles. Without movies like this, he wouldn't have a career. While ignoring the white-washing, it's not much in terms of a drama. This is all about the message and that's too easy. I just can't get over the kindhearted but still slightly mannered Japanese speech from Guinness.