A Majority of One (film)

Last updated
A Majority of One
"A Majority of One" (1961 film).jpg
British quad poster by Tom Chantrell
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy
Written by Leonard Spigelgass
Based on A Majority of One
by Leonard Spigelgass
Produced by Harry Stradling
Starring Rosalind Russell
Alec Guinness
Ray Danton
Madlyn Rhue
Mae Questel
Marc Marno
Gary Vinson
Sharon Hugueny
Frank Wilcox
Francis De Sales
Yuki Shimoda
Harriet MacGibbon
Cinematography Harry Stradling
Edited by Philip W. Anderson
Music by Max Steiner
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date
  • December 27, 1961 (1961-12-27)
Running time
156 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2 million (US/Canada) [1]

A Majority of One is a 1961 American comedy film directed by Mervyn LeRoy, starring Rosalind Russell and Alec Guinness. It was adapted from the play of the same name by Leonard Spigelgass, which was a Broadway hit in the 1959-1960 season, starring Gertrude Berg and Cedric Hardwicke.

Contents

Plot Summary

Bertha Jacoby, a Jewish widow, is convinced by her daughter Alice Black to move from Brooklyn, New York to Tokyo to be closer to her and her husband Jerry Black, now stationed at the US Embassy in Tokyo. Visiting Bertha with the news of the impending move to Japan, Alice and Jerry, who consider themselves liberal, are condescendingly polite to Bertha’s friend Essie, who expresses concern that their neighborhood is being compromised by ethnic minorities. Bertha overlooks the otherwise good-natured Essie’s prejudice, which she does not share, advocating generally for tolerance all around. Nevertheless, Bertha has difficulty overcoming her resentment toward the Japanese, “the people who killed her son” during WWII, which will loom large if she is to live in Japan.

Aboard the ship to Tokyo, Bertha meets Koichi Asano, an affable millionaire Japanese Buddhist businessman who is important to Jerry’s diplomatic mission negotiating between Japanese and US business interests. While Asano is unfailingly gracious to Bertha, picking up her dropped magazine and attending to her during a safety drill, Bertha always thanks him coolly. Noting her coldness, Asano asks her directly whether he has offended her or whether she harbors resentment for the Japanese, and she responds emotionally that her resentment is due to “your” being responsible for “my” son’s death. Asano gently informs her that he lost a son who was a dive bomber and a daughter who was a nurse in Hiroshima, both killed in a war over which he had no control. Gaining perspective, Bertha begins to return Asano’s politeness and consideration, passing the time onboard sharing details of their families, cultural differences, and faiths while developing a friendship. Bertha describes her travels on a ship at age 12, emigrating alone from Russia to the US. They both lost spouses within the past 4 years. Bertha and her husband ran a small artificial flower business. Jerry is pleased that Bertha is socializing with the prominent Asano until he sees Bertha and Asano dancing together at the farewell party the last evening onboard. Alice then warns Bertha not to get too friendly with someone who may use her to influence Jerry’s diplomatic role, also reminding Bertha that “Asano is a Japanese.” Bertha points out her hypocrisy but makes an excuse to Asano to retire early for the evening. Although Asano has sensed her renewed distance, on disembarking he presents Bertha with his card and offers to be of service to her in any way during her stay in Japan.

The Japanese and Western diplomatic worlds are very formal and separate. The US diplomats make little effort to learn the Japanese language or customs. When Jerry has an exchange with Asano at a business meeting, he inadvertently insults Asano by bowing too deeply—which Asano takes as a mockery of the custom—and by coughing during Asano’s speech—also mistaken for mockery of the point discussed. Asano calls off diplomatic negotiations, citing Jerry’s “offensive” behavior to the Ambassador.

Wishing to patch up relations with Asano, Bertha takes a taxi to visit him at his home. Delighted to see her, Asano introduces her to his daughter-in-law and showers her with lavish gifts and hospitality. He asks permission to formally court her by taking her to “plays, concerts, and national events.” Astonished but pleased, she promises to think it over, since there are many serious factors to consider. When Bertha informs her daughter and son-in-law of Asano's courtship, they object to the idea of an interracial marriage. Bertha reminds them of their criticisms of Essie’s prejudice and points out the hypocrisy. When Asano returns her call, Bertha turns down his proposal by asserting that it is too soon for courtship; they are both just lonely, still mourning their dead spouses. Bertha intends to return to New York, but they agree to continue to see each other as friends on his frequent trips.

Sometime later, in Bertha’s New York apartment, Asano is briefly presented to Essie, who greets him graciously before leaving. Bertha and Asano sit down to dinner together and agree that enough time has passed where they can now attend “plays, concerts, and national events,” since he has accepted a post at the United Nations in New York.

Cast

Production

Guinness went to Japan days prior to production started to study the culture, the people and their customs. He went under heavy makeup to play the role. Russell had misgivings about the role due to her believing that Berg deserved the part (though studio head Jack Warner refused due to doubts over Berg's viability), but she decided to portray the role after hearing that she could co-star with Guinness. The two called each other and agreed mutually to do it. Both actors were Catholic, different from what they portrayed in the film. [4]

Reception

When it premiered at the Radio City Music Hall, A. H. Weiler, film critic for The New York Times, called the film a "truly heartwarming and entertaining affair," and opined that it was a "truthful, satisfying work largely because the combination of funny and apt dialogue and the dedicated cast give it dignity," largely due to Russell's convincing performance as a "self-sufficient Brooklyn dowager," although he thought that "Mr. Guinness still appears to be closer to London than to Tokyo." [5]

A review in the trade magazine Variety declared "Leonard Spigelgass’ brew of schmaltz and sukiyaki is an outstanding film...Russell’s Yiddish hex-cent, though at times it sounds like what it is – a Christian imitating a Jew – is close enough to the genuine article. Guinness becomes Japanese through physical suggestion and masterful elocution." [6]

However, in his 1994 autobiography, George Takei, a Japanese-American actor who later found fame playing Mr. Sulu in the original Star Trek , recalls that while playing a minor role in A Majority of One, he was "shocked" at the "grotesquely offensive" latex make-up applied to Guinness's eyes, and by the "incomprehensible gibberish" of his Japanese lines, producing a disappointing and "disastrous" performance. [3]

In February 2016, Andrea Passafiume, reviewing the film for Turner Classic Movies, wrote: "A Majority of One is a true hidden gem with warmth, humor and a message of tolerance and compassion that remains just as relevant today as it was in 1961." [7]

Awards and nominations

AwardCategoryNominee(s)Result
Academy Awards [8] Best Cinematography – Color Harry Stradling Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards [9] Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures Mervyn LeRoy Nominated
Golden Globe Awards [10] Best Motion Picture – Comedy Won
Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Rosalind Russell Won
Best Film Promoting International UnderstandingWon
Laurel Awards Top Comedy5th Place
Writers Guild of America Awards [11] Best Written American Comedy Leonard Spigelgass Nominated

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Jane Eyre</i> 1847 novel by Charlotte Brontë

Jane Eyre is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first American edition was published the following year by Harper & Brothers of New York. Jane Eyre is a bildungsroman that follows the experiences of its eponymous heroine, including her growth to adulthood and her love for Mr Rochester, the brooding master of Thornfield Hall.

You Can't Take It with You is a comedic play in three acts by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The original production of the play premiered on Broadway in 1936, and played for 838 performances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosalind Russell</span> American actress (1907–1976)

Catherine Rosalind Russell was an American actress, comedian, screenwriter, and singer, known for her role as fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in the Howard Hawks screwball comedy His Girl Friday (1940), opposite Cary Grant, as well as for her portrayals of Mame Dennis in Auntie Mame (1958) and Rose in Gypsy (1962). A noted comedienne, she won all five Golden Globes for which she was nominated. Russell won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1953 for her portrayal of Ruth in the Broadway show Wonderful Town. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress four times during her career before being awarded a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Takei</span> American actor, author and activist (born 1937)

George Takei is an American actor, author and activist known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek franchise.

Esther Davis is an Australian actress and singer, best known for her roles as Phryne Fisher in Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and its film adaptation, Miss Fisher & the Crypt of Tears, and as Amelia Vanek in The Babadook. Other major works include a recurring role as Lady Crane in season six of the television series Game of Thrones, Sister Iphigenia in Lambs of God, and the role of Ellen Kelly in Justin Kurzel's True History of the Kelly Gang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mae Questel</span> American actress (1908–1998)

Mae Questel was an American actress. She was best known for providing the voices for the animated characters Betty Boop, Olive Oyl and numerous others.

Atsuko Asano is a Japanese actress. Upon marrying Tsutomu Uozumi, a reputed copywriter and lyricist in 1983, her “koseki” name became Atsuko Uozumi. She gave birth to a son in 1984.

Leonard Spigelgass was an American film producer and screenwriter.

<i>Gypsy</i> (1962 film) 1962 musical comedy-drama film directed by Mervyn LeRoy

Gypsy is a 1962 American musical film produced and directed by Mervyn LeRoy. The screenplay by Leonard Spigelgass is based on the book of the 1959 stage musical Gypsy: A Musical Fable by Arthur Laurents, which was adapted from the 1957 autobiography Gypsy: A Memoir by Gypsy Rose Lee. Stephen Sondheim wrote the lyrics for songs composed by Jule Styne. The film was remade for television in 1993.

<i>Alice Adams</i> (1935 film) 1935 film by George Stevens

Alice Adams is a 1935 romantic drama film directed by George Stevens and starring Katharine Hepburn. It was made by RKO and produced by Pandro S. Berman. The screenplay was by Dorothy Yost, Mortimer Offner, and Jane Murfin. The film was adapted from the novel Alice Adams by Booth Tarkington. The music score was by Max Steiner and Roy Webb, and the cinematography by Robert De Grasse. The film received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Actress.

<i>The Revolt of Mamie Stover</i> (film) 1956 film by Raoul Walsh

The Revolt of Mamie Stover is a 1956 American DeLuxe Color romantic drama film directed by Raoul Walsh and produced by Buddy Adler from a screenplay by Sydney Boehm, based on the 1951 novel of the same name by William Bradford Huie. The picture stars Jane Russell and Richard Egan, with Joan Leslie, Agnes Moorehead, and Michael Pate, and was filmed in CinemaScope. The music was by Hugo Friedhofer and the cinematography by Leo Tover, with costume design by Travilla.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Eyre (character)</span> Fictional character

Jane Eyre is the fictional heroine and the titular protagonist in Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel of the same name. The story follows Jane's infancy and childhood as an orphan, her employment first as a teacher and then as a governess, and her romantic involvement with her employer, the mysterious and moody Edward Rochester. Jane is noted by critics for her dependability, strong mindedness, and individualism. The author deliberately created Jane as an unglamorous figure, in contrast to conventional heroines of fiction, and possibly part-autobiographical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nobu McCarthy</span> Canadian actress (1934–2002)

Nobu McCarthy was a Japanese-Canadian actress. She received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in the film The Wash.

A Majority of One is a play by Leonard Spigelgass. The 1958-59 Broadway production was directed by Dore Schary and ran for three previews and 556 performances, with Gertrude Berg, Cedric Hardwicke, and Ina Balin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yuki Shimoda</span> American actor

Yuki Shimoda was an American actor best known for his starring role as Ko Wakatsuki in the NBC movie of the week Farewell to Manzanar in 1976. He also co-starred in the 1960s television series Johnny Midnight, with Edmond O'Brien. He was a star of movies, early television, and the stage. His Broadway stage credits include Auntie Mame with Rosalind Russell, and Pacific Overtures, a musical written by Stephen Sondheim and directed by Harold Prince.

<i>You Cant Take It with You</i> (film) 1938 film by Frank Capra

You Can't Take It with You is a 1938 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Capra, and starring Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore, James Stewart, and Edward Arnold. Adapted by Robert Riskin from the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1936 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, the film is about a man from a family of rich snobs who becomes engaged to a woman from a good-natured but decidedly eccentric family.

<i>Among Those Present</i> 1921 film by Fred C. Newmeyer

Among Those Present is a 1921 American "three-reeler" silent comedy film directed by Fred C. Newmeyer and starring Harold Lloyd, Mildred Davis and Mary Pickford.

<i>Lady in a Cage</i> 1964 film by Walter Grauman

Lady in a Cage is a 1964 American psychological thriller film directed by Walter Grauman, written and produced by Luther Davis, and starring Olivia de Havilland and James Caan. The film was released by Paramount Pictures.

<i>Free for All</i> (film) 1949 film by Charles Barton

Free for All is a 1949 American comedy film directed by Charles Barton and starring Robert Cummings, Ann Blyth and Percy Kilbride.

Age Harassment (エイジハラスメント) is a 2015 Japanese TV drama series focusing on harassment in the modern Japanese workplace. It is based on the novel Age Harassment by Uchidate Makiko. It is produced by TV Asahi.

References

  1. "Big Rental Pictures of 1962". Variety. 9 Jan 1963. p. 13. Please note these are rentals and not gross figures
  2. "A Majority of One (1961)". IMDb. 3 September 1962. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  3. 1 2 Takei, George (1994). To the Stars: The Autobiography of George Takei, Star Trek's Mr. Sulu. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN   074343420X . Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  4. "A Majority of One". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  5. Weiler, A. H. (January 12, 1962). "Seen: 'Majority of One':Film Version of Play Opens at Music Hall". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  6. "Review: 'A Majority of One'". Variety. December 31, 1961. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  7. Passafiume, Andrea. "This Month: A Majority of One". tcm.com. Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  8. "The 34th Academy Awards (1962) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
  9. "14th DGA Awards". Directors Guild of America Awards . Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  10. "A Majority of One – Golden Globes". HFPA . Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  11. "Awards Winners". Writers Guild of America. Archived from the original on 2012-12-05. Retrieved 2010-06-06.