

Sayonara
"I am not allowed to love. But I will love you if that is your desire..."
Air Force Major Lloyd Gruver is reassigned to a Japanese air base and is confronted with US racial prejudice against the Japanese people. The issue is compounded because a number of the soldiers become romantically involved with Japanese women, in defiance of US military policy. Ordinarily, a by-the-book officer, Gruver must take a position when a buddy of his, an enlisted man, Joe Kelly, falls in love with a Japanese woman, Katsumi, and marries her. Gruver risks his position by serving as best man at the wedding ceremony.
TMDB
6.7/10
151 votes
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- Status
- Released
- Budget
- —
- Box office
- —
- Language
- English
- japan
- based on novel or book
- u.s. air force
- air force
- major
- interracial relationship
- interracial marriage
- racial prejudice
- post war japan
- kabuki
- kobe japan
Top billed cast
















Behind the camera
Where to watch
All optionsAvailability for United States. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.
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Videos
Release dates
United StatesUS
- PremiereNRNew York City, New York5 Dec 1957
- TheatricalLos Angeles, California25 Dec 1957
AustriaAT
- Theatrical121 Jun 1963
BrazilBR
- PhysicalLFox Home mj.gov.br29 Mar 2005
GermanyDE
- Theatrical1227 Feb 1958
ItalyIT
- TheatricalMilan7 Mar 1958
NetherlandsNL
- Physical12DVD1 Jan 2005
Frequently asked questions
Sayonara was released on 25 December 1957.
Audience reviews
2- W7/10
Wuchak
11/10/2021
_**Brando’s romantic culture clash in Japan after WW2**_ In 1951, an American Air Force pilot serving in Korea (Marlon Brando) is reassigned to Kobe, Japan, where he deals with his American fiancé (Patricia Owens) and a Japanese performer who attracts his attention (Miiko Taka). The problem is there’s a military order against fraternizing with indigenous women. James Garner and Red Buttons have peripheral roles wh…
- C6/10
CinemaSerf
2/13/2025
Though it does try to deal with some quite poignant issues, I’m afraid it struggles to engage as it plods along a bit too sedately for 2½ hours. It’s set in an immediately post-war Korea and sees “Joe” (Red Buttons) fall in love with a Japanese gal. Now that’s strictly against the rules of fraternisation and he risks an immediate court martial. It’s only going to get more precarious when he decides to marry “Katsumi”…
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