Sayonara (1957) - full transcript

Sayonara

Sayonara

Sayonara

Sayonara

Japanese goodbye

Just like a bird!

How many did you get, sir?

Hey, he got two more!

Four? Old Gruver got two more...

Nice going there, sir!

Mmm-hmm.



Now, let's try the other lung. Breathe.

- Breathe.
- Hi, padre.

- Breathe.
- Two more MiGs today I hear, Lloyd.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's it. You can put it on.

Okay.

Well, Ace, you've had it.

Say what?

You're through flying, for a while, anyway.

Oh, no, nothing wrong with me

a little bottle of beer
isn't going to fix up.

Give him a bottle of beer
and send him back out.

Look, now,
just don't get yourself excited here.

Don't get pale, Gruver.



I was just giving you a rib.

But you could use some sleep.

Yeah,
I could use a little nice Korean sleep.

Mmm, better than that.

You're going to Japan.

I'm going to Japan? What for?

Why not?

Wouldn't you like to tango with one
of those beautiful Japanese dolls?

Well, if it's your prescription, Doc,

then I'll certainly work
at it the best I can.

You're going to Kobe.

Kelly has your orders.

What in the world am I going to do in Kobe?

Well, it's a special request

of General Webster himself.

Then this has all been pre-arranged.

Pre-arranged? Demanded.

Why shouldn't a three-star general

look out for a four-star general's son?

Now, don't be getting on my back.

I ain't bucking for favors.

I know you're not. I was just kidding.

I'll see you, Doc. Thanks.

Could I have a word with you, Gruver?

Yeah, I'll bet you I know what the word is.

K-E-L-L-Y. Is that true or false?

He's got permission to go back

and marry that Japanese girl.

Well, I told him he can't
take her back to the States.

I explained the law in detail myself.

But there's no law
which says he can't marry her.

And he's appealed to his congressman.

His congressman?

I wish you'd talk to him.

After all, he is one of your men.

And you're the only human being
he looks up to.

Now, listen, I...

You know, I'm going to tell you something.

That boy don't look up to anybody.

He has been promoted four times

and busted right back again.

Yeah, my congressman.
Shocking, ain't it, Major?

Chaplain says, "Don't marry the girl."

Colonel says, "Don't marry the girl."

You say, "Don't marry the girl."

Congressman says,
"You marry that girl, Kelly."

What can I do?

I'll tell you what you can do, boy.

You can go home
and marry your congressman.

You'd be better off.

Give me more coffee.

Yes, sir.

Hear you bagged two more today, Major.

- Yes.
- How was it up there?

Oh, it was splendid.

What's the matter? What happened?

There was a guy
with a face in one of those planes today.

Well, there was a guy with a face

in all the other seven you shot down.

Yeah.

That's exactly what
I've been thinking about.

Well, you can stop thinking.

You got a very well-written contract here.

General Webster's had you assigned

to the Interservice
Aviation Board over there.

Which means
you've got practically nothing to do

except, of course, marry
the General's daughter,

who is arriving in Kobe tomorrow.

You mean, Eileen...

That's right.

General's wife
and daughter both, from Tulsa.

Listen, don't fool me now.

I'm not fooling, Major.

You're not supposed to
know anything about it. Big surprise.

Eileen's coming to Kobe.

Yeah.

General Webster
arranges it for you to marry his daughter.

My congressman
arranges it for me to marry my girl.

Generals for the officers,

congressmen for the peasants.

Listen, I'm glad you brought that up, boy.

Because I think there's a little bit

of difference that we ought to talk about.

What do you mean?

Well, now, listen.

I never did show you
a picture of my girl, did I, Kelly?

No.

Well,
I'm gonna show you a picture of a girl.

It happens to be my girl,
but she's American.

And I want you
to take a long, long look at her

because I believe that maybe you've forgot

what an American girl looks like.

And this girl I'm going to show to you

is, first of all, an American girl,

a girl with fine character,

a girl with good background,

good education, good family, good blood.

I've known this girl
since I was about that high.

Our families are very close.

I've been engaged to this girl
for a long time, Kelly.

Now, she's a girl of unusual character

and I'd like you to take a look at her,

a close look, and tell me what you think.

Tell me what your feeling is.

Kind of beat-up, ain't she?

I beg your pardon?

No, that... The beat-up one's
her mother, you idiot. Not...

Here's Eileen now. Wait...

That's... Now, now.

Hey. Boy, she sure
does something wicked to a bathing suit.

Well, she has an enormous capacity
to fulfill a bathing suit.

- I can see that.
- That's enough, that's enough.

Listen, I'm just,
you know, showing it to you,

but all kidding aside,
the reason I want to show you this girl...

Hey, you ever seen Katsumi?

Where's that?

It's not a "Where's that?"

That's the girl I'm marrying.

Oh. Well, no.

I mean,
I don't know Japanese names.

That's all right. Forget it.

- Well?
- Oh, yeah.

Looks like a bright girl.

She's a whole lot brighter than me.

Well, that ain't too hard to do, you know.

Listen, Kelly,
I want to say something seriously to you.

Don't you think you're taking a risk

in marrying this Japanese girl?

Risks don't scare me any.

Look, Major, the Army and the Air Force
and the State Department

have all ganged up
to keep me from getting married.

Oh, hold on, Kelly.

I mean, what do you mean ganged up?

Here, look at these pamphlets.

"Think it over, Americans.

"Things you are required to know and do
before marrying Orientals."

Yeah.

Here's another piece of garbage.

"But will your family accept her?"

Will they, Kelly?

I ain't got any family.

Listen, Kelly, I haven't
got anything against this girl of yours.

I haven't got anything against
the Japanese anymore.

I mean, not really.

But, you know, when...

I just don't understand
how a normal, average American...

I mean, let's put it this way.

I think even your friends are gonna

put you down if you marry this girl.

If the friends I got are that kind,

they won't be friends of mine much longer.

Look, Major,

I'm gonna marry my
girl if I have to give up

my American citizenship to do it.

Oh, Kelly, you stupid, ignorant slob!

I mean, go ahead and marry

this slant-eyed runt if you want to.
It'll serve you right.

Now, wait a minute, Major!

Don't talk to me that way!

I won't take that from you or anybody else!

I'm sorry, Kelly.

I'm sorry.

I'm just blowing my stack a little today.

But, boy, I mean it. I...

I want to tell you, when you tell me

that you're gonna give up your citizenship

for a girl, I mean any girl,

I think you're nuts.

I mean, I think you're crazy.

I am crazy.

I'm in-love crazy.

I think you're going to cut your throat

and I'd just hate to see you do it.

And I mean this with all sincerity.

Maybe that's because you don't feel

as strong about your girl as I do mine.

There's your orders, Major.
See you on the plane.

Okay.

Kelly.

Well, we're coming in, Major.

There's the Inland Sea. Beautiful,
ain't it?

Yeah.

Boy, it sure is
nice scenery out there.

That's Kobe over there.
You see it, with all the docks?

Oh?

You know, what you're
looking at, Major,

really is three cities, you know,
all running together.

There's Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto.

They got Kabuki there.

What's Kabuki?

You never heard
of Kabuki theater?

- No.
- All men, no dames.

That's going to be dull, isn't it?

Oh, I don't know.

Well, if it's all dames you want,

I think we're going
to get there in about...

Yep. Look down there.

See that? See that little park over
there with the little lakes around it?

That's Matsubayashi.

- Where?
- Right down in there.

- You see it?
- Oh, yeah.

The Matsubayashi girls
are the most famous girls in all of Japan.

You know, they sing, they dance,

they act all the parts, no men.

Katsumi knows all the actresses.

She's like a movie fan or something.

Listen, you're just blowing your top

about seeing Katsumi, aren't you?

Carrying on.

She's my girl, Major.

Well, GG, good to see you.

So long, Lloyd. Lots of luck to you.

Oh, good enough. Thank you. Bye-bye.

Lloyd! Lloyd, here we are!

- Lloyd!
- Come on.

Hey, there!

Don't forget to act surprised.

Yeah. Hi, there! Hot dog!

Oh, won't he be surprised!

- Major?
- Yeah. Huh?

How about being my best man?

Now, listen, Kelly, I told you
that I'm against this marriage.

It would mean a lot to me.
What do you say, Major?

Okay.

Consul's Office, 10:00, Saturday.

Well, come on, honey. Hurry up.

Well, now, hello! Come here, you!

- Ha, ha! You're good...
- Bless your heart.

- Certainly good to see you.
- Hi, Lloyd.

Hi, sir. Nice to see you.

You know, I was getting off the plane.

And I said, "There's General Webster
standing over there.

"But who is that good-looking woman?"

Listen, tell me about Eileen. How is she?

Oh, she finds Tulsa terribly dull
without you, Lloyd.

Well, you know, I think...
I wish she could have come along.

Oh, now, Lloyd, you couldn't
expect us to bring her out here.

Well, I know that, but...

You're registered at the hotel
with us for the first few nights,

but you'll be stationed
out here at the field after that.

I see.

Come on, let's go. Now, you get in first.

No, you go ahead, Mrs. Webster, honey.

- No, you get in first.
- No, no, you got...

- Go on. Get in!
- No, no.

Ladies first. What's the matter with you?

Hi, Lloyd.

You devil.

Come here. Mmm-mmm!

Mmm.

I'm glad to see you, darling.

I forgot what an ugly girl you got here.

Lloyd,
she's not ugly. She's a beautiful girl.

What are you talking about?
She's the ugliest girl I ever saw.

- Come here, you.
- Oh.

And that dress, I think it's terrible.

It just goes in and out... That's awful.

It's meant to go in and out.

I go in and out.

Well, we'll talk about that later.

Send Major Gruver's
luggage up to his room, will you?

That's beautiful, isn't it?

Are there any rules against it?

Oh, no, there are no rules against it.
But it's understood...

I thought the club would be honored!

Please, Mike, let's go.

What's she doing here?

Mother!

Well, isn't she with that young officer?

You know, this is a...

Kobe's a recreation center.

That's right, dear.

It degrades the uniform.
It's out-and-out fraternization.

Mother, she's beautiful.

All the more reason. Mark?

- Colonel Crawford?
- Yes, sir?

Let's get out of this clip joint.

Just a minute, Captain Bailey.

What's the trouble?

Oh, I didn't mean
to bother you with this, General.

But Captain Bailey here
is wanting to take her into the club.

General Webster, sir.

This young lady is one of
Japan's most famous dancers.

She's no ordinary...

Yes, I understand.

Even so, don't you realize

this club is only for American personnel?

Now...

We've been pretty easy
about fraternization in this area,

even though there are
very strict orders against it.

But, when an officer
who should be an example...

Am I to understand, sir,

that you personally refuse to allow me

to take this young lady into the club?

I understand how you feel, Captain,
and I'm very embarrassed.

But I'm sorry.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir!

Don't you know that there's such a thing

as insolence through manner?

Thank you, sir.

Well, come on in, boys.
Eileen has to change.

Oh, Lloyd, Eileen's taking you
to the Kabuki tonight.

Oh, good.

We met Mr. Nakamura, the head actor,

and he invited her to come.

Now, Kabuki, isn't that the place
where there are no dames

and the men play all the women parts?

Oh, that's right.
The way they do at Princeton.

Come on, Mark.

Gonna be fun. Come on, baby.

You bring your lunch?

Miss Eileen Webster.

Who'd you find there?

Oh, that's Nakamura.
He's the one I met. He's very famous.

- That Nakamura?
- Uh-huh.

It's about a lady who turns into a lion.

He's going...
She's going to turn into a lion right here?

Uh-huh.

I want to see that.

I love you, Lloyd. I love you terribly.

I always have, and I guess I always will.

I love you, honey.

Awful glad you're here, too.

Everybody acting like nobody
ever kisses a woman.

She wouldn't be half so ugly

if she didn't stick her face
in that flour barrel.

She?

Well, whatever it was.

You got me.

He's a male actress.

It says here they've been
trained since childhood

to have the grace of a woman,

and yet the power of a man.

Oh, my word.

My Lord, that's my father!

Is he man enough now for you, Lloyd?

Is that the same fellow?

Uh-huh.

All right, boy.

I am sure it must be very difficult

to enjoy theater so
different from your own.

Well, we found it fascinating.

I am glad.

Kabuki is very old, isn't it?

Mmm. Some 300 years.

I find myself becoming intrigued
by everything in Japan.

I should be happy to help you
know my country better

if at any time I can.

You did not enjoy the evening
so much, I fear, Major Gruver.

Oh, yeah, I thought it was a fine play.

I thought maybe you could use a Marilyn
Monroe here and there, you know, to...

Unfortunately, Miss Monroes were barred

from Kabuki in the 17th century.

Well, I didn't mean to sound corny.

I just didn't know what to say about it.

Oh, please, do not apologize.

I am great admirer of Miss Monroe myself.

That's two of us. That's you and me, boy.

- Oh, no, don't do it to me.
- Oh, no, thank you.

I did real good. Thank you very much.

- Fine art.
- Let's go and see the garden.

Okay, you go on. I'll take this.

That's fine. Fine cooking. Very good.

Here you are, honey.

- No, thank you.
- Don't care for any?

Sit down, darling.

Mmm, you look awful pretty.

I've been doing a lot of thinking
with you away, Lloyd.

Answer me one thing.

What's that, honey?

Why aren't we married now?

Isn't that a silly question?

No, not really.

You do a lot of wondering in Tulsa.

Mmm, I suppose

the Korean War might have a little
something to do with it, don't you think?

Wasn't Korea maybe convenient, Lloyd?

Convenient?

What I really mean is,

do I mean everything to you,
as you do to me?

Of course you do, hon.
What are you talking about?

You see, I went to visit your mother

before I came here, there in Richmond.

My mother?

I was appalled at the loneliness
in which she lives

and the way your
father is content to go off

and leave her walled up
within a circle of friends

while he plunges off to the war...

Oh, honey, now, you just hold on a second.

You got to remember something.

My father's a general, honey.

And besides that,
my mother wants to live that way.

Oh, don't be ridiculous.

What do you mean? Now, don't tell me...

No woman wants to live any way except

body and soul with the man she loves.

Lloyd, you'll never tuck me away

in the corner of some little town.

Go ahead and become the greatest general

in Air Force history, but love me, too.

But I do love you, baby, I do.

Well,
I guess all I'm trying to say is that,

and I really mean this, Lloyd,

if what you want is a family
like our fathers have,

and promotion in the Air Force,

and position in society
like our mothers have,

and you marry me
because I'm pretty and smart

and have guts and will know the ropes,

then I don't think
you ought to marry me, Lloyd.

I'm sorry.
I guess I've been thinking too much.

Yeah, I think you have
been thinking too much.

Now. Now, quit it.

Okay.

Oh, I don't know, maybe things
will turn out after all.

What do you mean
maybe it's going to turn out?

Sure it's gonna turn out.

It's just all that nonsense you talk about

every time we get together.

Nonsense? I...
I hadn't realized it was nonsense.

Of course it is, honey.

Listen, it's all very simple.

Now, lookit.

I want a wife and a family.

I want a home in America.

And every time I think of
having a home like that,

I always think about
it with a girl like you.

I mean, a girl with a good
Army background like my own.

What do you mean a girl like me?
I'm not a type. I'm me.

Oh, Lloyd, it's me you've got to love.

Oh, Lloyd, haven't you ever felt

like grabbing me

and hauling me off to a shack somewhere?

What's the matter with you?

You know better than that.
Of course I have.

Then what's holding you back?

Oh, Eileen,
are you ever going to grow up, honey?

Don't you know there's a right time

and a wrong time to do things?

Aren't you ever gonna realize

that you have responsibilities
to other people,

that you have a position to fulfill,

that you're not alone in this world?

Oh, you defend yourself like a fort!

Listen, no matter how I defend myself,

hon, you've got to understand one thing,

that I am not in a position

to be hauling my fiancee away
to a shack somewhere

like an alley cat or something like that.

I wasn't brought up that way.

You're going to do everything
that's expected of you?

Well, I'm certainly going to try,
I'll tell you that.

Well, I don't expect you to marry me

just because it's expected of you.

Listen, you know sometimes I look at you,

and I don't understand you.

I don't know what's going on in your brain.

I think sometimes
I don't even know who you are

or what... Or what you're all about.

Maybe you don't. Maybe you never will.

"...so long as ye both shall live?"

I will.

Katsumi, "Wilt thou have this man
to thy wedded husband

"to live together after God's ordinance

"in the holiest state of matrimony?

"Wilt thou love him, comfort him, honor

"and keep him, in sickness and in health

"and forsaking all others,
keep thee only unto him,

"so long as ye both shall live?"

She will.

"If any man can show just cause

"why they may not be
lawfully joined together

"let him now speak, or else hereafter
forever hold his peace."

Do you realize you waive
all your legal rights in this marriage?

Look, I signed all the papers, didn't I?

You'll look after your wife on your own.

The Air Force is not responsible.

Yeah, I know.

Romantic, ain't it, Major?

Will you finish this ugly deed
and get it over?

I now pronounce you man and wife.
Sign over there.

Just a minute.

That's it, Mrs. Kelly.

Just you and me now.

Where do we sign?

May as well witness this now, Major.

Yeah, all right.

Incidentally, it was a great honor
meeting you, Major Gruver.

Well, thank you.

Say, tell me, Consul,

are all these ceremonies
conducted like that?

Well, we do our best
to prevent as many as possible.

We make the paperwork so difficult,

a good many of them lose steam.

Uh-huh.

Well, about how many, uh...

About how many GIs have gone
through this ceremony?

Oh, about 10,000.

Ten thousand? Well, then,
you let a few slip by you, didn't you?

A few, yes.

Mmm-hmm.

How's your girl, Major?

Oh, Eileen?

I haven't seen her in a couple days.

I've been... You know, I've been moving in,
getting my things arranged.

And she's been hightailing it
with the brass, socializing.

Major,

ain't you going to kiss the bride?

Well, sure I'm going to kiss the bride!

Yeah.

Sure.

Now, listen, I want you
to take good care of this boy, hear?

Now, here's your ticket, honey.
Don't forget it.

Okay, boy.

Thanks, Major.

Took a lot of guts for you
to come here today.

Oh, quit.

If you want anybody taken care of,
or need a job done

that you West Point guys ain't allowed

to do yourselves, I'm your man.

Hold it. Now,
I'm going to call on you, boy.

Come on. Let's get a belt.

All right.

- Nice to see you.
- How are you, Lloyd, dear?

Fine. Just fine.

That's a pretty dress you got on.

Thanks.

Lloyd, sit down, son.

All right.

Thank you for coming over
so promptly, Lloyd.

Well, that's all right.
I was just darning my socks.

Lloyd, um...

I don't know exactly how to put this.

It's a little embarrassing,
for me, that is.

I understand you were a witness
at a marriage yesterday

between one of your men
and a Japanese girl.

Yeah, one man from my outfit in Korea.

Well, you realize, of course,
there's an Army policy

to discourage all such marriages.

Yeah, well, I think they couldn't
have been discouraged.

They're very much in love, and...

I dare say.

However, the fact that you personally

seemed to sanction the marriage...

Oh, no, no. I didn't mean
to give that impression at all.

I didn't sanction it,
and as a matter of fact,

I tried to talk him out of it before.

But, Lloyd, darling,
you did act as his witness.

Well...

You know, as long as
it's going to be inevitable,

I thought I might as well try
to make it as pleasant as possible.

Don't you see the position that puts me in?

And since I'm the Area Commander here, I...

No, you didn't do anything
to encourage this marriage, sir.

I believe I did all this on my own.

What do you mean on your own,
Lloyd, dear?

Everything you do reflects on the General.

After all, he is Eileen's father.

I'm afraid this places me in a position
of incompetence, Mrs. Webster,

when it comes to, you know,
doing anything to help my own men.

Let's stop beating around the bush.

What's wrong between you and Eileen?

You haven't been to see her
for several days.

Well,

you talked about
being embarrassed, sir, before.

I'm embarrassed, too.

- What about?
- Well, about my whole situation here.

I'm a pilot,
sir. I was doing a job in Korea.

Unfinished job. Now, suddenly,
I'm pulled off that job and sent over here

and plunked down at a desk
at this Interservice whatever it is,

and, you know, where, as far as I can see,

there's absolutely nothing to do.

You know, all so as I can be with Eileen.

There's nothing dishonest about it.

That is, if you plan to get married.

I think I know how Lloyd feels.

Do you plan to get married or not?

- Really, dear.
- Well, I'm her mother. I want to know.

Well, Mrs. Webster,

as of the moment,
Eileen isn't too sure about it.

And I...

Oh, we know, Lloyd, dear. Now, look.

There's evidently been some
slight strain between you two,

but don't let it become too important.

Now, this is Sunday night.
Why don't you call her up later

and ask her out to dinner or something?

Well...

Mother,
I found the dearest little shop at...

Hi, Lloyd.

Hello, Eileen.

Lloyd just came in to see you.

- Oh?
- Oh, yeah.

Listen...

Listen, I thought
Sunday night, and I thought maybe

you and I can go out
and catch a movie or something.

Feel like it?

I'm sorry, Lloyd. I'm having
dinner with some friends tonight.

Well,

what about tomorrow?

That's booked, too, I'm afraid.

Well, looks as though
I'm holding some pretty tough cards.

What about next week?

Of course, Lloyd. Call me?

Okay.

Mrs. Webster, General.

Goodbye, Lloyd.

- Bye, Eileen.
- Bye, Lloyd.

Oh, Eileen. Why did you tell him
you were busy tonight?

Because I don't want to see Lloyd Gruver
when you ask him to see me.

Besides,

I do have a date with that young Lieutenant

and his wife from Fort Bragg.

Whole bunch of us.

I hope you don't lose my man for me.

Boy, give me a martini, will you?

Nope, make it lemonade.

No, dog. Give me a scotch and soda.

- Scotch and soda.
- Yeah.

Scotch and soda, sir.

There's such a thing as insolence
through manner, you know.

Well, I hate to admit it,
but I guess that's what I said.

Well, I thought it sounded kind of strange

coming from a guy
who shot down nine MiGs.

Well, that's kind of a reflex action.

I'm a West Point man, you know.

I guess, it sneaks out sometimes.

Now, listen, Captain, what does a fellow do

around here after the sun goes down?

Why?

You on the loose?

Uh... Halfway.

Bring him another.

What part of the South are you from?

Almost any old place
that's got an Army post on it.

I was all set to take
the exams at West Point

and there was a teacher there

who made me take a part in a school play.

They were doing one of those
Hungarian things by Molnar.

You never did hear a Hungarian play

played in a Southern accent, did you?

No, I'm afraid I missed that.

That's a shame,
because I was awful good in it.

Anyhow, I suddenly didn't want
to go to West Point

and didn't want
to have anything to do with it.

And my mother come up to the school,

and she said,
"We always expected you to go to the Point

"like your father and
his father before him."

And I told her,

I said I had an idea about
a whole different way of life.

What did she say to that?

She said something like,

"If I ever once had that idea,

"I shouldn't let anything stop me."

And she couldn't come right out and say,
"Don't go to the Point."

You know, but I know what she meant.

Then, of course,
my father flew up from Texas and...

He put you straight, huh?

No, he just looked at me and said,

"If you don't want to go to the Point,
don't go to the Point.

"The unhappiest men I know are those

"who are forced into something
they got no inaptitude for."

How did he force you to go to the Point?

That's what I'm telling you.
He didn't force me. He just...

We just had a little talk,
and he flew back to Texas

and I went on to the Point.

I see.

Well, uh, I'll tell you
something though, Mike.

I never once had any regrets
about going to the Point.

Except, just lately,

I've had some old feeling come back on me.

I don't know if I want to go on

in the Air Force and buck for a star

and get married in the Webster family

and get swallowed up by all that.

I think maybe my old lady was right.

Well, what does it all mean?

Eternal struggle, sex,

New York Yankees.

All right. Quit, now. Come on.

Isn't that a nice-looking bridge?

Yeah, that's the Bitchi-Bashi.

Say what?

The Bitchi-Bashi.

Bashi is Japanese for "bridge."

We call this particular
one the Bitchi-Bashi

because there's so much
lovely stuff that goes over it.

Did you say stuff?

Brother, I said stuff.

Will you kindly tell me what
we're standing in the bushes for?

- Can't touch it.
- Why not?

Well, you see, these girls that go
over there are the Matsubayashi girls.

They just cross over there
on the way to the theater

from those cells over there,
those dormitories.

Oh, that's right.
Somebody told me about that.

Hey, boy, is that anything
going over there now?

Hey, come on.
The goods are on display.

Wait for me, buddy.

There's Fumiko-san.
The one you saw me with.

- Yeah. The little one in pink.
- Yeah, that's the one.

You're not going over there and say hello?

What, in public?
A Matsubayashi girl? Are you nuts?

Well, you take her to the officers' club.

Well, that's for Americans.

Thought I could sneak her in there
without her being recognized.

What happens if they catch them?

Immediate dismissal.

- No fooling?
- Yeah.

No Matsubayashi girl
is allowed to have dates of any kind.

You were dating her, you.

Yeah, well, I'm different.

Oh, get out of here.

Well, like I told President Truman,

"Harry, you was wrong
when you sold the Marines short."

See, I hate to be stuffy about this, son,

but you Air Force men
just wouldn't understand.

Lord!

- Well, the Marines have got l'amour.
- Oh, Lord.

And these girls, they got fame and wealth

and bright lights.

But they ain't got l'amour.

- Well, you got l'amour, haven't you?
- Yeah, yeah.

What's going on there now?

- Hana-ogi's coming.
- Who?

Hana-ogi. She's the top, number one.

Come on. Let's go.

Well, how come she's dressed like that?

Well, the tall ones play men's parts,
mostly.

They play women's parts, too.

How do you do?

What do you say let's see the show?

Well, come on, Ace.

- Hmm?
- I say, do you follow the plot?

Yeah, nothing wrong with the plot.

Listen, are you sure
they're coming back this way?

Just keep yourself in check, son.

Am I nuts, or is she
the greatest thing I ever saw?

Whatever you're thinking, forget it.
You ain't going anyplace.

Oh, yeah? How's this for an introduction?

She's coming along the walk
and I just kind of walk on by

and slip my arm around her,
just cozy style. What do you think of that?

I think we better go.

- Now, wait just...
- Major!

Hey, kiddo! How are you?

How's everything?

Saw you at the show.
We been looking for you.

Listen, I want you to meet Captain Bailey.

This is Airman Kelly.

How are you, Kelly? Nice to meet you.

- How do you do, sir?
- How you been, boy?

Oh, fine.

Hey. Here's Katsumi.

Hello there, Katsumi.

Say something, kid.

It is fine to see you among us tonight.

She's speaking better English
than you are, boy.

She's been taking English lessons,

and I've been studying a little Japanese.

Let's hear you go.

Uh...

Well, I hope he can get rid of it,
don't you?

Means "My feet are cold."
She always laughs when I say that.

Listen, how you been?
How you getting along down there?

Oh, just fine, Major.

We got a wonderful house
down by the canal.

Hey, Kelly, didn't you tell me

that Katsumi knows
those Matsubayashi girls?

Oh, sure. She's a real fan.

Well, listen, I want you
to do something for me.

I am trying in the worst way
to meet this Hana-ogi,

and I want you to ask her if she won't,
you know, kind of introduce me?

She says the rules are very strict,

but she'll go over and ask her.

Well, she will ask her?

Oh, yeah.

'Cause you know what I said, I said
to Truman when he came over to the house,

I says, "Harry," I said,
"don't ever sell the Air Force short."

All right, boy,
now you're going to see something.

Here comes Fumiko-san.

- Here comes Hana-ogi.
- I know it.

You ain't going to let me down, are you?
Go on.

- It's all right, Major.
- Hmm?

How do, Miss Ogi?

You think you made the grade, Ace?

Yes. She gave me a nice little look there.

Oh, she sure did.

Uh, she says that Hana-ogi
will not speak to an American.

Why not?

We shot her brother
and killed her father with our bombs.

Oh, shoot. I didn't do it.

Sure you did, Ace.

We all did.

Come on.

Come on, Ace.

Listen, if they're so strict
with you girls over there,

how come you go out
with Mike on dates and fool around?

It is very bad of me,

but I cannot help myself.

He's so tall!

Well, he's a big boy, all right.

I mean, there's no fooling about that.

But, listen,

what I really want to know is,

does this Hana-ogi ever go out on dates?

You know, like you and Mike and...

No.

She is number-one girl.

Must be specially careful.

Well,

I want you to do me a favor.
Now, will you do it?

When you go back to the dormitory tonight,

I want you to tell Hana-ogi

that Major Gruver would
like to meet her and...

Now wait. Now wait. Just a minute.

I just want to talk to
her for a little while.

Now, will you do that for me?

Never happen!

Hana-ogi-san never speak men,

and with American, never happen.

Well, honey, I am here to tell you

that it's going to happen.

Pardon me, Miss Ogi.

I wonder if I could...

If I could have your autograph?

Thank you very much.

How do you do, Miss Ogi?

Hi, Major.

I've been looking for you.

Hello, Mr. Kelly.

Wife says to be at the house tonight.

Now, listen, I'll tell you,
boy, I've got a...

I have an engagement this evening
with a friend of mine.

Be there, bub. Hana-ogi's coming.

Sir.

- Kelly!
- Be there early.

Kelly!

- Hello.
- Hello!

Hey. You know where Joe Kelly lives?

Over there?

Well, you show me, will you?

How do you do?

Oh. Hiya, Ace.

Hey, Kelly, is that you?

How are you, Alice?

- How are you, Ace? Nice to see you.
- Good. Fine.

Come in the house.

Wait a second.
Let me just take a check here.

- Did she come yet?
- No, not yet.

Katsumi.

- Okay.
- What did she say?

Don't ask me, son...

Hey! Off with the shoes.

You don't wear shoes in a Japanese house.

Okay, coming off. What about the pants?

The room on your right.

- Where, here?
- That's it.

Watch your head, Ace. Well, this is it.

Well, listen, this is all right, boy.
This is cute. This is nice.

Sit down over here, Ace. That's the
place of honor in a Japanese house.

Over there?

Listen, what's this thing?

Oh, this is an armrest.

Armrest?

Well, it'll be even better
when the rest of the chair gets here.

Hi, Katsumi, darling. How are you?

Yeah.

It is very nice to have you

among us.

Well, it's very nice to be among you, too.

Listen,
I brought you a little couple of things

you can stick around the house.

Yeah, flowers.

You've made her very happy, Ace.

What has she got here? We going
to eat this or wear it? What is it?

No, this is a little towel
that they serve before a meal or a drink,

just a little refresher
for your hands and face.

Listen, that's a good idea.

Wash them up.

Okay, clean the ears well.
Do I pass, teacher?

Just dump it in the basket.

Yes, sir.

What's this, an eyecup?

We've got to wash our eyes out, too?

No, that's a cup for sake.
That's a wine made out of rice.

Rice? No fooling?

Yeah, no fooling.

- Okay, I'll try it.
- Here, taste it, you'll see.

Feels warm.

That's right,
we heat it up before we serve it.

Really? Well...

Katsumi, here's to your health.

And, Kelly, the very best to you.

That's all right, boy. It's not bad.

Told you, it's wonderful.

- Listen, aren't you going to have anything?
- Oh.

Yeah. I was just going to say, you know,

there's kind of a polite thing you do,
like,

you take the cup
and you swish it around in the water,

and you pour some sake in it for her.

Okay.

That's right.

- It means "A little bit."
- Little bit, all righty.

Hold on now, wait.

Okay.

See? Didn't hurt.

Well, she's going to get me
under the table here in five minutes

if she's going like this.

- She'll keep pouring all night.
- How...

Katsumi, I pour for Gruver-san now.

You excuse me? I finish cooking.

You go ahead, darling. Go right ahead.

Go right ahead.

Okay.

Present. Whiskey.

Whiskey?

Okay.

All right, darling.

Listen, boy, she's just as cute as a bug.

You ain't going...
You ain't going to lose with her.

See what I mean, Ace?
I'm the happiest guy in the world.

Hey. You want to see the rest of the house?

- Yeah.
- Come on, I'll show you.

This is the garden. Katsumi,
I'm showing him around the house.

The bathroom is back there.

We got a couple of extra rooms in here.

- Would you like to see them?
- Yeah.

Well, what have you got here, boy?

Oh, Lord.

We haven't done anything with these yet,

but maybe someday, if we expand.

Mmm-hmm.

Well, listen, it's really
working out for you, isn't it, boy?

Everything perfect,

except for that rat of a colonel
I'm assigned to.

You wouldn't be talking about
a fellow named Crawford, would you?

That's the guy.
He rides every guy around here

that's married to a Japanese girl.
Extra duty, everything.

Yeah...

Well, he's a rough carver.
There's no getting around that.

Ah, so what do I care?
I come home to my girl and I forget it.

- Let's go.
- Wait, listen, I forgot to ask you.

Does this Hana...
This Hana-ogi speak any English?

Because I'm going to be...

Well, I don't know.
Those girls sing in a lot of languages.

I guess she'll be able
to catch your drift, Ace.

- You nasty boy, you.
- Come on. Let's...

Wait a minute, I've just got to
take a look at my grass, now.

I want to know. Are we going to be,

you know, all four of us
going to be together all evening long?

Take it easy, Ace.
You're going to blow a fuse.

Well, uh...

Might be.

- Lord, one of us is wrong here!
- Watch your head, Ace.

You should walk in your house, Kelly...

Katsumi, you ready?

Stoop-shouldered.

In here? You're going to have to change...

Hey, Kelly...

Hana-ogi-san.

This is a great day for our house.

How do you do, Miss Ogi?

Hey. Where are you going?

Oh, I've got to help Katsumi with the...

Huh?

Well, it looks as though everybody
just ran off and left us alone here.

It certainly was nice of you
to come over here this evening, Miss Ogi.

I was just tickled to death
when they told me you were coming over.

Uh...

I'll just sit down here.

Well, Miss Ogi,

let me fix you a little drink.

No, now, well...

Well, okay.

Here's to you.

Mmm!

That's good.

Now, don't tell me.

I know you've got to slosh this
around in here a little bit

and get the dribble off,
and give it right back to you.

See, now you take that.

All right.

You know, I was surprised to find
that they make that stuff out of rice.

We have
rice back home in America.

Of course, we just...

Well, we just make rice pudding out of it.
And we don't drink it.

Uh, this is the first
liquid rice I ever ran into.

You know, did...

Did anyone ever tell you, Miss Ogi,

that you're a fine-looking woman?

I mean, real fine.

You're even better-looking
off the stage than you are on.

That's true.

You get up there,
and sing, dance, act, everything.

You're all-around great.

I wonder, where did him and Katsumi...

I'm getting kind of hungry in here.

Look, Miss Ogi, um...

I'm not up too good
on Japanese ways of doing things,

and maybe I'm saying the wrong thing.

I mean, maybe
my American manners are embarrassing.

But I figure, as long as you
came over here tonight,

maybe you were interested
a little bit in meeting me, too.

Now, maybe I'm wrong, but if I'm wrong,

then you've got to tell me.

Where do we go from here?

'Cause I don't know what to say.

I'm running out of things to say.

My father was killed

by American bomb dropped on my country.

You have been my enemy.

I have hated Americans.

I have thought they are savages.

There has been nothing
but vengeance in my heart.

Miss Ogi.

There were an awful lot
of Americans that were killed, too.

And I think it would be best
if we forgot about that.

You have been watching me at the bridge.

Watching me dance,

watching me as I go back to the dormitory.

But I have been watching you, too,

and you have not looked like a savage.

And when Katsumi-san
told me how gently you'd kissed her,

the day she became a bride,

how tenderly you kissed
my sweet little friend,

I realized the hate was of my own making.

That is why I came

to ask you to forgive me

for what I have been feeling.

Gruver-san, will you forgive me?

Well, you make me feel
like an awful fool, Miss Ogi.

I really feel that I ought to

ask you to forgive me
for some of the things that...

I've been thinking.

I come from the north of Japan.

And my father was a farmer,

and there were nine children.

And we were very poor.

There are too many people
in my crowded country.

I took the examination at Matsubayashi

and now I am first dancer of all.

When I am too old to dance,

I will become head teacher.

My life is planned.

I am dedicated to Matsubayashi

as you are dedicated
to American military life.

I have never been in love.

But I have dreamed

and thought about it,

and waited.

The danger that lies ahead of us,

we must face now.

The danger of discovery for both of us,

danger of weakness

when it is over.

I will never fall in love again.

But I will love you, Ace-san,

if that is your desire.

- Hello, how do you do?
- How do you do?

Ah, Miss Webster.

Oh, hello.

Oh, Mr. Nakamura,
how nice of you to come.

It is a great pleasure.

And may I say that
you look especially beautiful today?

Thank you.

I haven't been to see
this month's Kabuki program.

I know. You see,
I have been waiting.

Eileen.

- Eileen.
- Oh, Mother, you remember Mr. Nakamura.

How do you do, Mrs. Webster?

Oh, yes, of course.
Now, listen, you two,

this party isn't
given especially for you.

You've got to circulate around

and do more to cement
Japanese-American relations.

Mother, that's exactly
what Mr. Nakamura and I are doing.

- Oh, yes.
- Oh, Nakamura-san,

my little girl
wants your autograph.

She admires you so.

Of course.

Will you please excuse me?

- Yes, of course.
- Certainly.

Has Lloyd come yet?

Oh, Mother, how many
weeks are you going to keep on pretending?

Lloyd is not coming.

I'm absolutely furious at him.

How can he ignore
the General's invitation?

I had it delivered
personally to his office.

I'm stuck with that
Farrington woman. Can you help me out?

Uh-oh. There's Crawford.

Whenever he shows up,
there's always something.

Can I speak to you
alone for a minute, General?

Certainly, Colonel.

- Major, do you have that list of the...
- Yes, ma'am.

I want to see if
the Williams have come yet...

Yes, they have.

Oh, waiter.

The reason I took
this up with you personally, General,

is because
it concerns Major Gruver.

Now, we think
he's hooked on to a Japanese dame.

Shh! Colonel!

Well, I'm sorry, General,
but this thing's gotten me all riled up.

Do you realize what it will mean

to the enlisted men in this area

if they find out that their big hero,
Ace Gruver, is out with some...

I've known
Major Gruver all his life.

I'm a close friend of his father's.
I assure you must be wrong.

He was seen going
into that house.

Now, my men have been
watching a troublemaker named Kelly.

He shacked up with
another native girl...

"Shacked up," Colonel?

Kelly's married to a Japanese girl.
Major Gruver was the best man.

Seems quite natural
to me that he'd visit them.

All right.
How am I going to handle the situation?

Well, don't handle it.
I trust Major Gruver implicitly.

Well, General, is it all right with you
if I post an order

to keep these
officers from being seen

with indigenous personnel?

Then if they are seen,
there's something we can do about it.

All right. All right.

Lloyd.

Look at you, Hana.

No one saw you come?

No, there's no military
personnel around here,

except me.

We must go to the tea ceremony.

Yeah, I know.

I know.

Good afternoon.

This getting up
and down likely to kill me.

You make such
a production of everything.

The pleasure does not
lie in the end itself.

It's the pleasure of
all steps to that end.

Oh, I see.

That you, Ace?

Yeah, Kelly.

Come on in here.

I can't right now.

He'd be surprised
you come in this way.

He'd faint.

Just a little
lower, little lower, Katsumi.

- You always seem to be a little above it.
- Oh?

Yeah. Yeah, that's it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kelly-san, now you get in tub?

Okay, all right.

Is Hana-ogi coming over tonight?

Yeah, if she can get away.

We're going to cook up
some fine Saint Louis goulash

with a little Memphis
greens in there.

What are you doing
tonight after dinner

when Hana-ogi goes
back to the theater?

Nothing.

How about playing poker
with Katsumi and me?

Oh, I'll be delighted
to take your money and your pants.

This is the life, ain't it, Ace?

There you are.

How do you do?

Listen, I got one word for you.

What is that?

- Food.
- Oh.

Sayonara

Japanese goodbye

Whisper sayonara

Lover, don't you cry

No more we stop to see

Pretty cherry blossom

No more we beneath the tree

Looking at the sky

Sayonara

Sayonara

Goodbye

That's the cutest
thing I ever saw, honey.

I must go.

Good eating.

Bye-bye.

Are you going back
to the officer's quarters tonight?

No, I think I'm going
to just fool around here.

What will you do all evening?

What am I going to do?
I'm going to get some beer,

some pretzels,
and some girls up here.

I'm going to have
a little fun for a change.

Good.

I don't like you to be lonely.

Take care.

Come on in, Katsumi.

I'm sorry,
Lloyd, I had to come. It's important.

Hello, Eileen.

How are you?

Listen, sit down, will you?

Take this stuff
out of there, just getting a little...

Go on, sit down here.

How are you?

They're after you, Lloyd.

Who's after me?

There's a colonel.
His name's Crawford.

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

I know him.

He's the one that's riding Kelly.
This is Kelly's house.

Yes. Yes, I know.

You want to hear this,
don't you, Lloyd?

Yeah. Sure, I want to.
Of course I do.

I overheard Colonel Crawford say

that he's been having
this house watched,

hoping to catch Kelly
at something irregular, I suppose.

Anyhow, that's how
I knew where it was.

Well, then they...

They seen me coming
in and out of here.

Yes.

I just felt that
I had to tell you.

Eileen, uh...

There's something that I feel that...

I must go, Lloyd.

I just wanted to warn
you to be particularly careful about...

About what, honey?

About sticking strictly
to military regulations.

Oh, Lloyd, they'll do
anything to hang something on you, to...

To keep you in line.

After all, you're
the Air Force's pinup boy, you know.

Colonel Crawford sounded
as if he was after blood.

You know, more than
anything else I could think of, I...

I must go now, Lloyd. Good luck.

Wait a minute,
let me help you off...

Eileen, I know...

Lloyd.

Lloyd, you've really
thought seriously

about what you're
doing, haven't you?

Oh, yes.

I think I have.

Oh, I hope so.

You have a brilliant
record in the Air Force.

More people depend
upon you than you'll ever know.

Before you throw all that
you've worked for away, Lloyd, be sure.

Please, be sure.

Eileen, I don't think
if I had a million years,

I could tell you
how all this happened.

I'd better go before
I lose all my charm.

Do you like this old,
curious play?

Yeah, I'm beginning
to get a kick out of it.

See the rope between the rocks?

Yeah.

That is a Shinto sign
showing they are married.

What, the rocks?

Yes.
They've been together so long,

our people thought
it was time they should get married.

They look well
together, don't you think?

Yeah, they make
a handsome-looking couple.

Do you like my country?

Yeah. Was all these...
All these funny things here before

when I came to Japan?

Yes.

Well, hello.

Hello there, Double Ugly.
How are you?

To what do we
owe the honor of this visit?

Laundry. Gonna put down
the dirties and pick up the cleans.

I hope you know
what you're doing.

This came in
the office this morning.

Thought you might
like to see it.

"This is a routine reminder
of the recent orders issued by Camp Kobe."

Quote, "Any public display,
whatever, of affection

"for a Japanese national
by a member of this command is forbidden.

"Officers should not even
appear on public streets

"accompanied by indigenous
female personnel." Unquote.

Hooray for Christmas.

Come on, Ace, this is
serious. Everybody got one of these things.

Oh, listen, fool, Hana-ogi and I are
just as careful as we can be.

We never go anyplace where we're gonna be
seen by anybody that matters.

We don't even walk
down the same street.

We just go out
in the country and fool around.

See, listen, you never been to the
country around here, have you?

Awful pretty country around here.
I mean it.

You know what I saw yesterday?

I saw two rocks
that just got married.

You what?

I saw two rocks
that got married.

And they looked very
happy together, too.

Oh, I'll bet they did.

Oh, they did.

If you gonna be smart,
I'll tell you what you do.

You get your little shoes shined,
you go out tonight,

'cause tonight is
gonna be Tanabata.

Okay, what's Tanabata?

You mean you're gonna
sit there with your bare face hanging out

and tell me
you don't know what Tanabata is?

Yeah.

Well, my word, boy.

I'm ashamed of you. I thought
everybody knew what Tanabata was.

Tanabata is the night of love.

You told me
all about it one time.

You were telling me
about Harry Truman

and New York Yankees and sex

and New York Yankees
and Harry Truman and sex.

And I'll see you...

Sex!

What have I done
to deserve such happiness?

I have seen this night of
Tanabata come and go many times,

but never before
have I understood what it meant.

Tanabata.

Oh, my heart is so
full of love for you.

- Miss Webster?
- Yes?

Nakamura-san gets your note.

Here is reply.

Thank you.

He wishes if you will have
dinner with him and his guests.

Thank you very much.

They have a rather
pleasant garden here, Miss Webster.

Would you like to see it?

Yes, I think I would.

How beautiful.

What are you
really afraid of, Miss Webster?

You don't think
it would enter Major Gruver's mind

to marry a Japanese girl?

I don't know.

Then permit me to reassure you.

I think Major Gruver is brave

but not brave enough
to face the censure

that would result
from such a marriage.

As for our famous,
honored Hana-ogi,

there are many Japanese,

most of them, in fact,

who look upon marriage
to an occidental with as much distaste

as your people do to one of us.

I do not feel that way.

But, then,
I have had the privilege

of traveling in your country

and knowing some
great people there.

And I am especially
conscious at this moment

that beauty
is not confined to any one race.

Do not turn away, Miss Webster.

I am not necessarily
making love to you.

I am only stating a very

obvious fact.

May I see you again,
Miss Webster,

and acquaint you
with more Japan?

Of course.

I need to know more, much more,

about everything.

There she is.

Hello, honey.

Are you tired?

No, I just...
I just been lying here

thinking about myself.

You know,
I can't believe I'm really here.

It's hard to believe that...

You know, it's hard
to believe me being the same Lloyd Gruver

that came over from Korea
just a little bit ago.

You know, I been thinking

that all my life

I been so busy

snapping to,
and giving orders, and taking orders,

and being a general's son,
and doing the job

and all that,
I just never took time to sit right down

and, you know, think about
what my reason for living is.

And I been spending
some afternoons here just

being peaceful

and easy and thinking.

And I believe
for the first time,

I'm just beginning to understand

what it's all about,

what I really am,
what I really want.

It's a nice feeling.

Yeah, come on in.

Ace, excuse me.
I hate to bother you.

I just got the news.

You got what news?

I'm getting shipped back.

You being shipped back where?

Stateside.

I've been reassigned
to a new duty station.

Well...

Did you tell Katsumi yet?

No.

All right. Well, don't tell her, because
maybe we can work something out.

What reason did
he give you for it?

No reason. I know what it is.

Every guy on that list
is married to a Japanese girl.

I'm sorry, Major.
There's nothing you can do.

We're sending Kelly
to the States Thursday, and that's that.

Well, what about
his wife, Colonel?

Well, she stays here.

He knew he couldn't take her back with
him when he married her.

Mmm-hmm.

Didn't you?

That's right.

Well, you'd be busting up
his home then, you know.

I'm not busting up anything.

Oh, I admit Kelly's been a pain
in my side for quite a while now.

Well, could you tell me

why he didn't have the privilege
of extending his tour of duty?

Don't ask me, Major.

There are lots of reasons
for these things.

Anyway, it is an order.

And there's nothing
you can do about it

even if you are
a four-star general's son.

Yeah, well...

Would it make any difference if I told
you my wife's going to have a baby?

Well, that's tough, I admit.

Colonel, under these circumstances,

don't you think
that you'd be able to

postpone this
for a little while?

Maybe I could be
transferred back to Korea.

No, you're going home.

All the boys
on this list, going home.

Where is your home?

That house by the canal.

I mean your real home.

That house by the canal.

Yeah, all right.

I've taken all the insubordination
from you I intend to.

Now, you listen to me, wise guy,

that house by the canal
is off-limits from now on.

Whole street's off-limits.

You want a court-martial?

That mean I could stay in Japan?

Come on, Kel.

You're shipping out
of here on Thursday.

And don't you try to help him.

You remember that
house by the canal

is off-limits to all personnel.

Would you tell me,
Colonel, just exactly

what you mean
by that last remark?

Well, that's all
I'm prepared to say at the minute,

except you watch your step.

So, I don't know
what else to say to you, General.

I've known this boy a long time,

and if he has to go back without
Katsumi, he's gonna be in trouble.

And...

Well, I mean,
that's about it. That's it.

What about his wife?

- I don't know.
- And the baby?

So it comes down to the fact
that the Army lets them get married

and then forces
them to desert their wives and babies.

That's not fair, Eileen.

A boy away from home
for the first time, lonesome,

often falls in love
with the first girl he touches.

In most cases,
with a girl from the streets.

It's up to the service
in some measure

to be fathers
and mothers to these boys

and try to head off
these marriages.

But after they're married
why should they be sent home?

The man's being transferred
to a new duty station, Eileen,

along with many others.

Now, don't ask me
the reasons for changes of duty.

There are thousands of them.

But Lloyd said that most of
the men on this particular list

are married to Japanese girls.

That can't be just
a coincidence, Father.

Why not? It could easily be.

There have been
lots of marriages.

Frankly, with some of these men,

I think they might
welcome the transfer.

Why is that, sir?

There have been unfortunate
aftermaths to many of these marriages.

Recriminations, regrets.

A boy gets married
impulsively, then feels caught,

doesn't know how to get out of
it, doesn't know what to do.

Change of duty
gives them both a chance to think it over.

To cool off.

Now, I don't mean to
imply that that's the reason

these men are being
transferred, but...

Well...

The whole thing's

a messy business.

General Webster, there is no regret in the
case of Kelly and Katsumi.

You can have my word on that.

Lloyd,

three officers came to me today

with identical requests
for their men.

It's not our policy
to interfere with decisions

made by immediate
commanding officers.

The basic structure of the whole
military service would collapse

if we started doing
things like that.

Your father would
understand that, even if you don't.

Are you going to
ask me to make an exception of Kelly

when I've refused
these other men?

I am going to ask you
to do that, sir.

You made an exception of me
when you brought me from Korea.

I'm afraid
it's a hopeless situation, Lloyd.

Well...

That's the end of Joe Kelly.

You told me yourself
that Kelly's past record was against him.

I couldn't even use that,
don't you see?

Why does this mean
so much to you, Lloyd?

Kelly's from my outfit, Mrs. Webster.
I was his best man.

And I'm planning to marry
a Japanese girl myself.

Come into the other room, Eileen.

This is something
for your father to handle.

No, Mrs. Webster, I don't think it's
anything for anybody to handle.

I'm sorry, Eileen.

Mrs. Webster.

Good afternoon, y'all.

I don't think I'll ever love anyone
again as much as I love Lloyd.

But I'll tell you something
that's rather ironic.

I once asked Lloyd
if he ever felt like grabbing me

and hauling me off
to a shack somewhere.

That's just what
he's done, isn't it?

Only it's with somebody else.

Don't go out, Eileen.

Stay and talk.

I'm sorry, Mother.

There's only one person
I'd like to talk to at the moment,

and oddly enough, he's Japanese.

Ace, I've been waiting for you.

Hey, Kelly, listen.

I just came from
General Webster's house

and there's a whole
big mess there.

- No good, huh?
- No.

He didn't...
He didn't go for it.

Matter of fact,
I think I even messed it up a little.

That figures.

Did you tell Katsumi yet?

No.

I'm chickening out fast.

Besides, she's got her heart set on
something she planned for us tonight.

Wants us both to take
the train to Osaka

and meet the girls
at the puppet show.

Why spoil it?

Maybe I'll tell
her late tonight when we're alone.

Kelly, don't give up on it.
I think there's gonna be a way out of it.

- There's got to be.
- You think so?

- Yes, I do.
- I don't.

- I'll see you, Ace.
- Hi, hon.

Kelly-san.

Hey, tell Katsumi
we'll be there with bells.

Were you able to help?

No. I wasn't.

How terrible.

I know this is hard, honey.

It's hard,
but it's not gonna last long.

I mean, the Army's got to change that
law next year or the next one.

I mean, it just has to be.
I'm sure of it.

And, as a matter of fact,

I'm so sure of it
that I went downtown today

and I signed some papers here

that mean that you and I
are gonna get married.

What's the matter?

We never spoke of marriage.

I know we didn't, darling.

I know we didn't.
I been going round and round with that

every day for a long time.

And I didn't feel I could
speak about it until now.

Now I can.

Now, of course, I won't be
able to take you back to America,

but they're bound to change
that ridiculous law soon.

And until then,
I'm gonna stay here with you.

I'm not stuck in the Air Force.
I can resign.

Of course,
I'm not trained to do anything else,

but I'd find something.

We never spoke of marriage.

I know we didn't, darling,
but we're speaking of it now.

Do you remember
the first night we talked?

I said there would
be danger of weakness when it is over.

Over?
What are you talking about?

I am tempted.
With you, I could become a woman.

And a mother.
And I could love you.

That's right.

Do you think I haven't
thought about it?

Do you think
I want to become a lonely old woman

who teaches dancing,
now that I have known you?

But it is no good.

You must know it, too.

No, no. I don't know
anything of the kind.

The way you talk about
leaving the Air Force,

finding some pitiful
way of earning living

just to be here with
your Japanese wife.

Now, wait a minute.
Wait a minute.

I think we're too far
in this thing to be talking like that.

Matsubayashi has been
kind to me, Lloyd.

I am obligated to them.

No, you ain't.
You... No, no. You obligated to me.

They are my life.

I will bring shame
to them, disgrace.

Lloyd, you know what I mean?

Yeah, I think
I'm beginning to know what you mean.

I think you mean you simply don't love me
enough to go on through with it.

That's what you mean, don't you?

Why don't you
just come on out and say it?

It is not what I mean.

I'm leaving for Tokyo
in six days.

Matsubayashi are sending me.

You what?

With another troupe.
They have found out about us.

Any other girl, they would have
dismissed, but because they like me,

because they feel I am important
to them, they are being lenient.

Well, I'm not gonna be
lenient with you.

I want you to tell me right now

why Matsubayashi
means more to you than I do?

Lloyd, there is something
about myself

I have not told you.

I have no right to marry anyone.

My father was very poor.

To save his other children,

he was forced to sell
one of his daughters.

The man from the houses
of Yoshiwara came to him.

Because I was the oldest,

he agreed I should go with them.

Your father sold you?

Yes, but I was saved
from starting this life

by my best friend, Fumiko-san.

Her father paid money to free me

and she brought me
to Matsubayashi.

There, I not only
earn my living,

I brought honor
back to my family.

Matsubayashi has
been kind to me.

They have trusted me.

I cannot leave them.

I cannot marry anyone.

Don't you understand?

I don't know.

I don't know what to think.

I'll kill you!

You ever do anything like this,

and I'll kill you,
you understand?

Get that straight, now!
I'll kill you!

Wait a minute. Listen.
Just take it easy, now.

Ace, look at this.

- It fell out of her bag.
- What is it?

She was gonna have it done, too.

Tomorrow,
by that quack doctor down by the docks.

- What?
- For 8 bucks, she slashes her eyelids

and sews them back up again.

Lots of these stupid little jerks
have it done.

She was gonna surprise me.

Well...

Then...

Then I have good eyes.
I fool everybody.

I look American, like Joe.

Hana-ogi, will you tell
that stupid dame I love her the way she is?

I don't want her changed.

Will you tell her
I love her mouth

and her nose
and her ears and her eyes

just the way they are?

Tell her if she ever does
anything like that, I'll...

Wait a minute. Calm down, Kelly.

I want him be proud of me.

Listen, listen. Listen.

I am sorry.

Listen, if you want him to be proud of you,
you got to quit this stuff.

'Cause you want to be
a good wife, don't you?

You're making him
very unhappy when you're doing that.

Now, tell him you're sorry
and you're not going to do it anymore.

Tell him that.

Joe...

I so sorry.

Okay. Now, we're gonna
forget about that, all right?

Now, listen.
I came over here tonight,

I thought we were gonna
have a fish fry.

We were gonna have some fun right
here, and dancing and yelling,

and what do I find?

What's gonna happen to us?

Puppet show.

- Yeah, we had a surprise...
- You like?

Sure, I do.
Been looking forward to it.

I know everybody tonight.

Yeah.

And

we will be late.

Look.

The lover is leaving the city,
walk to the wood.

Lloyd, don't think
of anything now.

Watch the play.

It's a tender story.

When gong sound, it is done.

And then she will bind her body.

Bind her body?

So that she will not fall
in an ugly position

of dishonor when she dies.

- When she dies?
- Mmm.

Yes, shinju.

It is custom for lovers

to die together
when they can no longer face life.

It is so beautiful.

Beautiful?
They're gonna die, aren't they?

They will live
in another world on a beautiful lake

floating always together

like water lily.

Sure.

Kelly-san! Kelly-san! Kelly-san!

Something about soldiers
going through the house.

That's the MPs, boy.

- What happened? What's wrong?
- Come here, come here.

- What happened?
- Get in the car.

Go to Matsubayashi.

- Please, please tell me. I will not leave.
- I will, I will.

Now, get in the car.
I'll tell you later.

Matsubayashi.

Hey, Ed, look.

Look at that.

You're Major Gruver, aren't you?

That's right.

Sorry, Major, you'll have
to come with us.

General Webster's orders.

So, what right do
you have to board up this man's house?

He won't be needing
it anymore, Major.

He's shipping out Thursday.

Joe?

Come on, Major.

You'll hear from me, Kelly.

Come on, kid.

We'll get in through the garden.
I got something to tell you.

You were seen
in public with her tonight,

violating the orders
of the area.

This has given
me the right to put you under arrest.

And, for your own sake,
I think I'd better do it.

Well,

you have anything to say?

Well, just as soon I'm out of this,
I'm going to be married,

and have a house of my own.

I'm afraid not.

I'm sorry, Lloyd,
but it's all settled.

The supervisor of the Matsubayashi
came to see me tonight.

The girl goes
to Tokyo, and you fly to Randolph Field,

day after tomorrow.

Here are your orders.

Until that time,
you're under house arrest.

You're not to leave
your quarters until further notice.

I'm doing this because I feel you're not
responsible at the moment, Lloyd.

After all, I've known
your father for years.

Well, that's all.

Mike...

Did you see her?

No, Ace. I couldn't even get
near the place.

They've really clamped down.

I went to the stage
door and I couldn't even see Fumiko-san.

Well, listen, I've got to see her.
I'm being shipped out of here tomorrow.

Major Gruver?

What is it?

Would you do something for us?

What do you want?

Airman Kelly's disappeared.

No, that's impossible.
I was with him just last night.

We know.

He was scheduled to fly out
in a couple days.

But a special plane came through, and
Colonel Crawford told us to get him on it.

I took him to
the airport at 12:50.

When the plane took off,
Kelly wasn't on it.

Figured you might
know where he is.

How should I know where he is?
His house has been boarded up, hasn't it?

We know.
Neighbors won't talk to us.

We figure maybe
they're hiding him.

They'll talk with you, Major.
Would you help us?

Well, would you give
me one good reason why I should?

We figured we'd
give him a break.

We haven't reported him as yet.

We could get him
on another plane.

We might not have
to turn him in for desertion.

- Desertion?
- Yes, sir.

Well...

I'll go with you in a minute.

Major?

The neighbors won't
talk if they see an MP.

I'll go with him.

Thank you, sir.

Kelly?

Kelly, Gruver out here.

I think he's in there.

Kelly?

I'm going on in.

Kelly?

Kelly?

Kelly, you in there?

Oh, my God.

Oh, my...

Oh...

Oh.

Oh.

Oh.

I'll call the police, Ace.

Oh, God.

Go home! Go home!

Go home! Go home! Go home!

Ace, there's no police around.
We'd better get out of here.

Hey, look.

Doesn't look too good, boy.

Go home! Go home!

Come on, take it easy.

We're getting help, Ace.

- You okay, boy?
- Yeah, I'm fine.

You all right?

Yeah.

Listen, I'm going to...

I want you to take care of everything.
Will you?

- Oh, yeah, I'll get it...
- Okay.

I'll see you later.

Hey, where's Hana-ogi?

Hana-ogi's not here.

Oh, I know she's here.

She is on her way Tokyo.

No, she wasn't... She wasn't
supposed to go to Tokyo till next week.

She went today.

I don't believe you.

- Mr. Gruver...
- I don't believe you.

I don't care...

Hana-ogi?

Hana-ogi. Hana-ogi.

Hana-ogi.

Hana-ogi?

Gruver-san!

- Hey, where's Hana-ogi?
- She's gone.

- Where's her room?
- She's gone.

Listen, where's her room?

Come here.

Hana-ogi really gone, Major.

I don't believe you.

Hana-ogi.

I give you my word.

You go now, too, Major.

It's over.

Listen, leave me
alone a minute, will you?

The hoodlums who attacked
you weren't all your Japanese neighbors.

For the most part, they were
professional troublemakers

sent to your street to create
an incident specifically with you.

Now, if you're important
to those who hate us,

don't you see how
important you are to us?

Do you understand
any of this, Lloyd?

I know how you feel.

It was...

It was dreadful about
your friend Kelly and...

And his wife.

Must be hard to take.

And I...

I hate to tell you
something else, because it's

almost too grotesque.

Almost unforgivable in
your eyes, I imagine.

I got word today that...

There's a law being passed
in a month or two

that will make it possible
for men like Kelly

to take their
Japanese brides back to the States.

That can't be true, General.

Well, it happens
to be true, Lloyd.

Listen.

How do you get
the guts to come here and tell me that?

It takes time to get
laws passed, Lloyd.

And a lot of people have died
in this world needlessly, waiting for them.

Well, it's...

It's harder to take
when it hits you personally.

Lloyd...

You're lost. You're confused.

Don't you think it's time you got back
to the main stream of your life?

Back to your roots?

What you were born for,
and raised for?

You'll feel better
about everything when you get back home,

back to your work.

Appreciate you
coming over, General.

Take me to the airport, Mike.

That must be him.

Would you hold it,
so we can get a picture, General?

- Where would you like me? Right here?
- What about there? Yeah.

Smile, please.

Hey, Bill, isn't
that Ace Gruver?

Looks like him.

Sir?

Excuse me, aren't
you Major Gruver? Ace Gruver?

Yes, that's right.

Well, we're
from Stars and Stripes.

What are you doing in Tokyo?

Well, I'm just passing
through, boys.

Just seeing the sights, huh?

That's right. Listen, I'm in a hurry.
Do you mind if I excuse myself?

- You're excused.
- Sorry.

Lloyd-san.

Hello, Hana-ogi.

I'm going back to
America on Friday.

And I probably won't

get back in Japan again.

And before I go,
there was just...

Just one thing I wanted to know.

You remember one
time you said to me...

That you could love me

and be a wife and a mother?

I remember.

You said that since
you'd known me, you'd been afraid

of being
a lonely old woman, teaching dancing.

Remember that?

I remember.

Did you mean that
when you said it, Hana-ogi?

I meant it.

It is already happening.

Love has gone out
of my work, out of me.

Oh, Lloyd, please go now.

This will only
bring pain and trouble.

Hana-ogi,

you and I are going
to have more trouble

than we ever
thought of having in our whole lives

unless you're
absolutely honest with yourself.

Please, Lloyd, can't we
talk about this later?

There isn't
going to be any later.

There's only going
to be right now.

Oh, uh,

excuse me, Mother.

Excuse me.

I must return this robe.

Listen to me.

I want to know.
Do you love me, or don't you?

Because if you don't,

then I'm going to
have to find a way to live with it.

- And if you do, then...
- Please, Lloyd.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Now, I don't want you
to tell me anything more,

or anything less than
you feel in the very deepest part of you.

Because what you
answer to me now

is going to affect us
for the rest of our lives.

Do you love me, Hana-ogi,
or don't you love me?

I'm so frightened and confused.

I cannot think.

I cannot even
understand your thinking.

I'm not thinking!
I'm not thinking...

For the first time in my life,
I'm not thinking, and I don't care.

But, Lloyd, we must
do the right thing.

Oh, what are you talking
about, the right thing?

We've been wasting
two good lives

trying to do the right thing.

The right thing
for Matsubayashi,

the right thing for my father,

the right thing
for the military,

the right thing for
Japanese tradition.

The right thing for
the great white race.

But we have duties
and obligations.

That's right, we do.

We have duties and obligations.

And the first obligation we have
is to love each other.

To become man and wife,
and raise some clean, sweet children.

And give them
the very best that we know how.

And if we don't
meet that obligation,

we ain't going to be
any good to anybody.

We live in different worlds,
come from different races.

Oh.

Honey, I want you to be my wife.

But what would happen to our children?
What would they be?

What would they be?

They'd be half Japanese,
half American.

They'd be half
yellow and half white.

They'd be half you,
they'd be half me.

That's all they're going to be.

Hana-ogi, I want you
to come with me now.

I want you to come with me now,
down to the American Consulate,

here in Tokyo.

We're gonna filling out those papers,
'cause we've only got a few days

to get this whole thing done,
and get it out of the way.

Will you come?

I'm going to wait
for you outside.

Didn't I tell you he'd be here?

- Look at this crowd!
- Wow!

And look who's here, our rivals.

What do you know?

Oh, you guys heard
about it, too, huh?

No secrets.

- No secrets in this country!
- Well, what are you gonna do?

Hello, Major.
Well, what a coincidence!

You got a story for us, sir?

No. As a matter
of fact, I don't.

Oh, now, Major, you're
not going to try to deny it, are you?

- Deny what?
- Well, the story.

Why won't you give us a story?
You're big news now, sir.

I'm afraid I don't know
what you're talking about.

Here's Hana-ogi.
Maybe she'll talk.

Come on, Hana-ogi, that's not fair.
What did you say?

It is very difficult
for a Japanese woman to speak in public.

I have never done so.

But perhaps now it is the time.

Major Gruver has
asked me to be his...

His wife.

He knows there
are many people in his country

who will be disturbed by this.

I know my people
will be shocked, too.

But I hope they will
learn to understand

and someday approve.

We are not afraid
because we know this is right.

I hope I can
continue as a dancer.

And I hope, when I am old,

I will be able to
teach children to dance.

My own children.

Major?

The big brass are
gonna yell their heads off about this.

And the Japanese
aren't going to like it much, either.

Have you got anything
to say to them, sir?

Yeah.

Tell them we said sayonara.

Sayonara

Japanese goodbye

Whisper sayonara

Lover, don't you cry

No more we stop to see

Pretty cherry blossom

No more we beneath the tree

Looking at the sky

Sayonara

Sayonara

Goodbye