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Autonomy Through Traditional Performing Arts

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Autonomy Through Traditional Performing Arts 『映画研究』9 号（2014） Cinema Studies, no. 9 Autonomy through Traditional Performing Arts tion movies had much more inaccurate portrayals of Japan.4 In any case, as Autonomy through Traditional Hal Erickson claims, Joe Butterfly (1957), Wake Me When It’s Over (1960), and Performing Arts: Cry for Happy (1961) are the cinematic Teahouse derivations (176-79), the suc- cess of Teahouse had a significant impact on later works set in Japan. The Use of Okinawan and Japanese Music in the Scholars have mainly discussed the theater and movie versions of Te a - Screen Version of The Teahouse of the August Moon house in relation to issues of gender or representation of geisha (Kawaguchi, Shinjo, Shu, Yamamoto, Yonaha, Yoshimura), postcolonialism (Dube, Yagi), Risa NAKAYAMA and yellowface performance (Fuller, Murakami, Tokuyama, Yamamoto). Since the screenplay of Teahouse was also written by John Patrick and there are not Introduction many changes or differences between the screenplay and the theater script, some critics seem not to differentiate the theater and movie versions when The screen version of The Teahouse of the August Moon (Dir. Daniel discussing Te a h o u s e or simply to dismiss the differences between the two Mann, 1956) is an adaptation of the stage play by John Patrick who adapted versions. However, when we look at the finished film, some of the changes Vern Sneider’s novel of the same title and was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for could affect the implication or tone of the movie even though each of them Drama in 1954. MGM purchased the rights to movie production even before may seem trivial. For example, the word “prostitution” was deleted from the the play was produced,1 and soon after the stage version of Te a h o u s e became movie script and just implied in the movie. In the theater script, McLean a major success on Broadway, winning several Tony Awards, the studio as- says he cannot sing the national anthem when deciding what to sing at the signed Patrick to write the screenplay. opening ceremony of the teahouse. Fisby in the play explains to Lotus Blos- Although it is set in Okinawa, Teahouse was not filmed in Okinawa but in som that democracy is only a method and an ideal system but not in the mov- Nara and Hollywood with the cooperation of the Japanese movie studio Daiei. ie. Sakini says, “We show you Okinawa get-up-and-go” when reconstructing In the early 1950s, the number of runaway productions increased, and Hol- the teahouse at the end of the movie. lywood started coproduction with Japanese film studios, making quite a few Besides such changes and the casting of Marlon Brando in the lead role, films set in Japan or about the Japanese such as Tokyo File 212 (1951), Ori- one of the significant differences between the play and the movie is the use ental Evil (1951), Japanese War Bride (1951), Geisha Girl (1952), Forever My of music and musical performance. Using the theater and movie scripts and Love (1952), House of Bamboo (1955), and Three Stripes in the Sun (1955).2 recordings of the Broadway performance5 as well as the DVD of the movie The screen version of Teahouse was made in this current, and it enjoyed criti- version of Teahouse, this paper focuses mainly on the three women who play cal and commercial success, receiving quite a few positive reviews and Golden key roles in terms of the use of music and dance in order to elucidate the Globe nominations for Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford, Machiko Kyo, and Eddie specificity of the screen version. I will indicate the way in which musical Albert, and ranked sixth at the box office in the US and fifth in Japan.3 Al- performance re-inscribes certain Okinawan aspects removed from Patrick’s though some US film critics criticized Brando’s and Ford’s acting and Mann’s scripts. Although music or musical performance may seem just a minor part overuse of long shots and long takes which makes the movie resemble theat- in the entire movie, it could play quite a role in introducing and adding mean- rical work, Japanese critics tended to praise Teahouse because other coproduc- ing to the imaginary Okinawan village, and the way the filmmakers prepared 22 映画研究 9 号（2014） Cinema Studies no. 9 (2014) 23 『映画研究』9 号（2014） Cinema Studies, no. 9 Autonomy through Traditional Performing Arts tion movies had much more inaccurate portrayals of Japan.4 In any case, as Autonomy through Traditional Hal Erickson claims, Joe Butterfly (1957), Wake Me When It’s Over (1960), and Performing Arts: Cry for Happy (1961) are the cinematic Teahouse derivations (176-79), the suc- cess of Teahouse had a significant impact on later works set in Japan. The Use of Okinawan and Japanese Music in the Scholars have mainly discussed the theater and movie versions of Te a - Screen Version of The Teahouse of the August Moon house in relation to issues of gender or representation of geisha (Kawaguchi, Shinjo, Shu, Yamamoto, Yonaha, Yoshimura), postcolonialism (Dube, Yagi), Risa NAKAYAMA and yellowface performance (Fuller, Murakami, Tokuyama, Yamamoto). Since the screenplay of Teahouse was also written by John Patrick and there are not Introduction many changes or differences between the screenplay and the theater script, some critics seem not to differentiate the theater and movie versions when The screen version of The Teahouse of the August Moon (Dir. Daniel discussing Te a h o u s e or simply to dismiss the differences between the two Mann, 1956) is an adaptation of the stage play by John Patrick who adapted versions. However, when we look at the finished film, some of the changes Vern Sneider’s novel of the same title and was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for could affect the implication or tone of the movie even though each of them Drama in 1954. MGM purchased the rights to movie production even before may seem trivial. For example, the word “prostitution” was deleted from the the play was produced,1 and soon after the stage version of Te a h o u s e became movie script and just implied in the movie. In the theater script, McLean a major success on Broadway, winning several Tony Awards, the studio as- says he cannot sing the national anthem when deciding what to sing at the signed Patrick to write the screenplay. opening ceremony of the teahouse. Fisby in the play explains to Lotus Blos- Although it is set in Okinawa, Teahouse was not filmed in Okinawa but in som that democracy is only a method and an ideal system but not in the mov- Nara and Hollywood with the cooperation of the Japanese movie studio Daiei. ie. Sakini says, “We show you Okinawa get-up-and-go” when reconstructing In the early 1950s, the number of runaway productions increased, and Hol- the teahouse at the end of the movie. lywood started coproduction with Japanese film studios, making quite a few Besides such changes and the casting of Marlon Brando in the lead role, films set in Japan or about the Japanese such as Tokyo File 212 (1951), Ori- one of the significant differences between the play and the movie is the use ental Evil (1951), Japanese War Bride (1951), Geisha Girl (1952), Forever My of music and musical performance. Using the theater and movie scripts and Love (1952), House of Bamboo (1955), and Three Stripes in the Sun (1955).2 recordings of the Broadway performance5 as well as the DVD of the movie The screen version of Teahouse was made in this current, and it enjoyed criti- version of Teahouse, this paper focuses mainly on the three women who play cal and commercial success, receiving quite a few positive reviews and Golden key roles in terms of the use of music and dance in order to elucidate the Globe nominations for Marlon Brando, Glenn Ford, Machiko Kyo, and Eddie specificity of the screen version. I will indicate the way in which musical Albert, and ranked sixth at the box office in the US and fifth in Japan.3 Al- performance re-inscribes certain Okinawan aspects removed from Patrick’s though some US film critics criticized Brando’s and Ford’s acting and Mann’s scripts. Although music or musical performance may seem just a minor part overuse of long shots and long takes which makes the movie resemble theat- in the entire movie, it could play quite a role in introducing and adding mean- rical work, Japanese critics tended to praise Teahouse because other coproduc- ing to the imaginary Okinawan village, and the way the filmmakers prepared 22 映画研究 9 号（2014） Cinema Studies no. 9 (2014) 23 Risa NAKAYAMA Autonomy through Traditional Performing Arts and utilized the song and dance reflects Sneider’s stance on respecting local to choose a couple of Okinawan songs for an MGM movie, and chose five or culture and giving leeway to local people.6 six Okinawan folk songs which foreign people might like (Kanai, Nirai 192). When a few staff members visited her later on, she performed the songs on a Ⅰ．The Use of Okinawan Folk Songs and “Sakura” piano while they were constantly asking her to play the songs faster or more slowly (Kanai, Nirai 193). They finally chose “Yoya naore,” “Kanayo,” “Ma- The opening music of this film is an Okinawan folk song, and we hear shunku,” and “Asadoya yunta” and asked her to arrange them for orchestra several other Okinawan compositions throughout the film. The Okinawan and chorus (Kanai, Nirai 193).
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