Themes: Interracial/Cross-Cultural Romance, Home From the War
Main Cast: Shirley Yamaguchi, Don Taylor, Cameron Mitchell, Marie Windsor, James Bell
Release Year: 1952
Country: US
Run Time: 91 minutes
Plot
Filmmaker King Vidor does wonders with the unpromising material at hand in Japanese War Bride. Don Taylor stars as Jim Sterling, a Korean war officer who is wounded and hospitalized in Japan. Sterling falls in love with his Japanese nurse Tae Shimizu (Shirley Yamaguchi), eventually marrying her. Upon his return to the U.S., Sterling and his new bride face hostility, bigotry and uncertainty from all sides. Particularly venomous is his sister-in-law Fran (Marie Windsor), who conducts a vicious letter-writing campaign aimed at convincing Sterling that his wife is unfaithful. Produced independently by Joseph Bernhard, Japanese War Bride was released by 20th Century-Fox. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Louise Lorimer - Harriet Sterling; Philip Ahn - Eitaro Shimizu; Sybil Merritt - Emily Shafer; Kane Nakano - Shiro Hasagawa; Kathleen Mulqueen - Mrs. Milly Shafer; Orley Lindgren - Ted Sterling; George Wallace - Woody Blacker; Weaver Levy - Kioto; Jerry Fujikawa - Man at Fish Market; Tetsu Komai - Japanese Servant; David March - Man at Plant
Credit
Daniel Hall - Art Director, King Vidor - Director, Terrell O. Morse - Editor, Art Lange - Composer (Music Score), Emil Newman - Composer (Music Score), Lionel Lindon - Cinematographer, Joseph Bernhard - Producer, Anson Bond - Screen Story, Catherine Turney - Screenwriter
Japanese War Bride (also known as East is East) is a 1952 motion picture drama directed by King Vidor. The film marked the American debut of Shirley Yamaguchi in the title role.
The film tells the story of a wounded Korean War veteran, Jim Sterling (Don Taylor), who returns to his California home with his Japanese wife. The couple had met and fallen in love in a Japanese hospital where Tae Shimizu (Shirley Yamaguchi) was working as a nurse. Back in America, the two face racism and bigotry from their neighbours and family, particularly their sister-in-law, Fran (Marie Windsor).
