The Barbarian and the Geisha
Encyclopedia
The Barbarian and the Geisha is a 1958 film starring John Wayne
, Sam Jaffe
and Japanese American
actress Eiko Ando
set in 1850s Japan. Shot largely on location, it was directed by John Huston
.
(Wayne) is sent by President Pierce
to Japan to serve as the first U.S. Consul-General. Harris discovers enormous hostility to foreigners but the love of a young geisha
.
initially owned the story but he sold the rights to 20th Century Fox
after being unable to sign a big star to play the lead.
Exteriors were shot on location in Japan at Kyoto
and the Tōdai-ji
shrine in Nara
. Interiors and additional scenes were completed at Toho Studios
in Tokyo
and 20th Century Fox Studios, Los Angeles
Before release, the film was heavily re-edited by the studio. Director John Huston denounced this version and even wanted to have his name removed from the credits. Huston had wanted to make a particularly Japanese film
in terms of photography, pacing, color and narration but according to him only a few edits - representing his vision - were left intact in the theatrical version.
The film received lukewarm reviews and performed disappointingly at the box office.
The story is based on American diplomat Townsend Harris
and his time in Japan during the 1850s and 60s. This was the period just prior to the Meiji Restoration
when Japan ended its period of international isolation and began massive industrialization. Yet in Harris' time, Japan was still ruled by a shogun
.
President Franklin Pierce
named Harris the first Consul General
to the Empire of Japan in July, 1856, where he opened the first U.S. Consulate at the Gyokusen-ji Temple in the city of Shimoda
, Shizuoka Prefecture
, sometime after Commodore Perry
had first opened trade between the U.S. and Japan in 1853.
During his time in Japan, Harris allegedly had a romance with a 17-year-old geisha named Okichi. There is, however, no evidence that this is true. Their story is one of the most well-known folk tales in Japan. Harris died in New York in 1878 and, according to legend, Okichi committed suicide in Shimoda
in 1892.
John Wayne
Marion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
, Sam Jaffe
Sam Jaffe (actor)
Sam Jaffe was an American actor, teacher, musician and engineer. In 1951, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Asphalt Jungle and appeared in other classic films such as Ben-Hur and The Day the Earth Stood Still...
and Japanese American
Japanese American
are American people of Japanese heritage. Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities, but in recent decades have become the sixth largest group at roughly 1,204,205, including those of mixed-race or mixed-ethnicity...
actress Eiko Ando
Eiko Ando
Eiko Ando was a Japanese actress best known for appearing opposite John Wayne in The Barbarian and the Geisha in 1958....
set in 1850s Japan. Shot largely on location, it was directed by John Huston
John Huston
John Marcellus Huston was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics: The Maltese Falcon , The Treasure of the Sierra Madre , Key Largo , The Asphalt Jungle , The African Queen , Moulin Rouge...
.
Plot
Townsend HarrisTownsend Harris
Townsend Harris was a successful New York City merchant and minor politician, and the first United States Consul General to Japan...
(Wayne) is sent by President Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
to Japan to serve as the first U.S. Consul-General. Harris discovers enormous hostility to foreigners but the love of a young geisha
Geisha
, Geiko or Geigi are traditional, female Japanese entertainers whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music and dance.-Terms:...
.
Production notes
Director Anthony MannAnthony Mann
Anthony Mann was an American actor and film director, most notably of film noirs and Westerns. As a director, he often collaborated with the cinematographer John Alton and with James Stewart in his Westerns.-Biography:...
initially owned the story but he sold the rights to 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
after being unable to sign a big star to play the lead.
Exteriors were shot on location in Japan at Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
and the Tōdai-ji
Todai-ji
, is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall , the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu . The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the ...
shrine in Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
. Interiors and additional scenes were completed at Toho Studios
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
and 20th Century Fox Studios, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
Before release, the film was heavily re-edited by the studio. Director John Huston denounced this version and even wanted to have his name removed from the credits. Huston had wanted to make a particularly Japanese film
Cinema of Japan
The has a history that spans more than 100 years. Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world – as of 2009 the fourth largest by number of feature films produced. Movies have been produced in Japan since 1897, when the first foreign cameramen arrived...
in terms of photography, pacing, color and narration but according to him only a few edits - representing his vision - were left intact in the theatrical version.
The film received lukewarm reviews and performed disappointingly at the box office.
Historical background
Townsend Harris
Townsend Harris was a successful New York City merchant and minor politician, and the first United States Consul General to Japan...
and his time in Japan during the 1850s and 60s. This was the period just prior to the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
when Japan ended its period of international isolation and began massive industrialization. Yet in Harris' time, Japan was still ruled by a shogun
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
.
President Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was the 14th President of the United States and is the only President from New Hampshire. Pierce was a Democrat and a "doughface" who served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Pierce took part in the Mexican-American War and became a brigadier general in the Army...
named Harris the first Consul General
Consul (representative)
The political title Consul is used for the official representatives of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, and to facilitate trade and friendship between the peoples of the two countries...
to the Empire of Japan in July, 1856, where he opened the first U.S. Consulate at the Gyokusen-ji Temple in the city of Shimoda
Shimoda, Shizuoka
is a city and port in Shizuoka, Japan.As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 25,054 and a population density of 242 persons per square kilometer...
, Shizuoka Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
, sometime after Commodore Perry
Matthew Perry (naval officer)
Matthew Calbraith Perry was the Commodore of the U.S. Navy and served commanding a number of US naval ships. He served several wars, most notably in the Mexican-American War and the War of 1812. He played a leading role in the opening of Japan to the West with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854...
had first opened trade between the U.S. and Japan in 1853.
During his time in Japan, Harris allegedly had a romance with a 17-year-old geisha named Okichi. There is, however, no evidence that this is true. Their story is one of the most well-known folk tales in Japan. Harris died in New York in 1878 and, according to legend, Okichi committed suicide in Shimoda
Shimoda
Shimoda can mean:* Places in Japan:** Shimoda, Shizuoka, a city in Shizuoka Prefecture** Shimoda, Aomori, a town in Aomori Prefecture* Treaty of Shimoda , between Japan and Russia* Shimoda Toyomatsu, an early Japanese Scouting notable...
in 1892.