Teahouse of the August Moon

I am still thinking about a good New Year's Eve movie to recommend, but The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956) came to mind for some reason.  It has nothing at all to do with the holiday, but it's a good movie, and any holiday is reason enough to watch a good movie.

Marlon Brando (1924 - 2004) was given top billing, and he did a stellar, out-of-character job with the part.  It is said that many people complained to the theater managers when the movie came out because they thought Brando wasn't in it.  In fact he has major screen time throughout the movie, but he is playing a Japanese character.

The other three stars, Paul Ford (1901 - 1976), Glenn Ford (1916 - 2006), and Eddie Albert (1906 - 2005) are all at their best, working together with Brando.  None of them stands out over the others, but Glenn Ford and Eddie Albert work particularly well together. 

If you haven't seen the film, it is about the American occupation of Japan after WWII, and a team in Okinawa who are supposed to teach democracy.  Glenn Ford is sent to a small village and instructed to build a school house (pentagon shaped).  When he appears to be cracking up, his superior (Paul Ford) sends in Eddie Albert, a psychologist, to see what can be done.  They are both taken in by the villagers, and comedy ensues.

Most of the bit parts are played by Asians, and they are mostly unknown here, although many have extensive acting credits.  Harry Morgan (b. 1915) played a sergeant, and he was already a star.  I have always like Harry, ever since I can remember, probably starting with "Dragnet."  He is 95 years old now, and I wish him well.

The only other Bit Actor worth talking about is Harry Harvey, Jr. (1929 - 1978).  Son of Harry Harvey (1901 - 1985), Harry Jr. was in 89 roles, compared to dad's 419 titles. 

Junior's first movie was Tell Your Children (1936), which was re-released as Reefer Madness.  He went on to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) starring Danny Kaye, and in 1956 he appears in Forbidden Planet with Robbie the Robot (b. 1955).  Then a bunch of TV guest work.

That was fun!  Now go see The Teahouse of the August Moon and I am sure you'll agree.  If you still need a suggestion for New Year's Eve, please see this New Year's post at MovieFanFare.  That's a great blog, too.

20,000 Leagues

I found the 1954 classic Disney film, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea on-demand last weekend, so I started watching it.  I have seen it several times in my youth, but not recently, and even this time I didn't quite finish it.  I remember the display at Walt Disney World where they have one of the Nautilus models used to make the movie.

A quick look at IMDB reveals there were three silent versions of the story.  They were released in 1905, 1907 (by Georges Melies), and 1916.  I haven't seen any of them, but the 1915 release apparently had underwater photography that was groundbreaking.  I will have to look for that one.

Back to 1954.  The ticket agent shown in the beginning of 20K was played by Harry Harvey.  He is credited with 417 roles on the IMDB web site, starting with the Tom Mix Destry Rides Again in 1932.  How do I always keep coming back to Destry?!?

Harvey was in Gold Diggers of 1937 with Dick Powell, the 1939 Blondie Takes a Vacation with my friend Penny Singleton, a whole bunch of B westerns, 1942 The Pride of the Yankees, 1942 A Night to Remember (but a different Night to Remember than the 1958 Night to Remember that we talked about a few days ago), a small part in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty with Danny Kaye in 1947, more B westerns, he was June Alyson's doctor in The Glenn Miller Story, and of course, the list is practically endless. 

The sign of a great bit actor is to remain a viable commodity for small parts.  If you become too famous, you may have a difficult time getting parts because you will be recognized.

Harvey lived from 1901 to 1985 and he was still doing TV parts in the 1970s on "Mannix," "Bonanza," "Gunsmoke," "Ironside," and "Adam-12."  He appeared in the 1970 hit film Airport as a passenger.

I thought I would have trouble finding well exposed bit actors in a Disney film.  Disney keeps stars on contract so they don't have the opportunity to do much work elsewhere.  It seems like Harry Harvey filled the bill!