Escapade in Japan (1957)

Absolutely brilliant

Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Interesting travelogue, sort of like Cinerama travelogues of the time, with a storyline. The recent showing on TCM was in wide-screen Technirama, probably the only film produced by RKO made in this process. Universal acquired the film for distribution after RKO closed. The titles indicate the film was shot entirely in Japan and for the first time at Japanese cultural and religious shrines which look great in wide-screen. The exteriors look similar to Sayonara (also 1957) during a period when Japan/American relationships were on the mend. Everyone is really nice to one another. Good, colorful family movie, good production values, some spectacular scenery and great print.

This is the Japan of my early childhood memories, brought to life by this film. I was a boy of 4 when I moved to Japan in 1956, so seeing this movie which was shot at the same time I lived there was a great thrill. It was the travelogue aspect of the movie that particularly interested me: the vignette in the geisha house; the vignette in the Japanese theater;street scenes; railroad stations; etc. The plot was relatively simple. Cameron Mitchell and Theresa Wright were convincing as the worried married couple desperately trying to find their missing son. But the flattering portrayal of the Japanese people and the reverence shown for Japanese landmarks and its cultural is the real eye opener. Since it was made in 1957, I'm assuming it was to show Americans how their perceptions of the Japanese may have been wrong. I know that having there for 4 years, we couldn't have been treated more kindly than we were by our Japanese friends, neighbors, and co-workers. I thank Turner Classic Movies for showing it.

This movie is a great family movie and a trip through history when Japan was occupied by US Forces. No bad words, very little violence just two boys running away from the unknown in Post War Japan. Having grownup in Japan as Army brat during the 50's and 60's the movie rekindles memories of living in Japan while they were building their economy and maintaining their distinct culture and Identity. Its a warm hearted story of a foreign boy lost in totally different culture and country from what he knows yet accepts the friendship and assistance of a local boy as he is guided around Japan. He learns and sees things that would not have been possible had he not been crashed landed off the Japanese coast. I have watched and rewatched this movie with pleasure each time.

Caught this harmless little story on TV recently. In this film we can see Japan in the 1950s before the great economic breakthough. Nostalgic and fascinating period shots of cities, temples, steam trains, geisha houses etc. Better than some documentaries as a record of those times and it was good to see the kindness shown by all the Japanese characters towards the lost American boy. Both kids were sensible and well mannered.