A Majority of One (1961)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

Leonard Spigelgass (play)
Leonard Spigelgass (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 September 1962 (Sweden)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

That joyful hit of the stage is the big, bright delight of the screen !

Plot:

A gentle love story about a Japanese businessman and widower, and a Brooklyn widow. But before a happy ending can ensue, they must learn again the lessons of tolerance, kindness and forgiveness. |

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Character's Journey Shown On Map | Journey Shown On Map | Japan | Based On Play

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Rosalind Russell	...	Mrs. Bertha Jacoby
Alec Guinness	...	Koichi Asano
Ray Danton	...	Jerome Black
Madlyn Rhue	...	Alice Black
Mae Questel	...	Mrs. Esther 'Essie' Rubin (as Mae Questal)
Marc Marno	...	Eddie
Gary Vinson	...	Mr. McMillon
Sharon Hugueny	...	Bride
Frank Wilcox	...	Noah Putnam
Francis De Sales	...	American embassy representative
Yuki Shimoda	...	Mr. Asano's secretary
Harriet E. MacGibbon	...	Mrs. Lily Putnam (as Harriet MacGibbon)
Alan Mowbray	...	Captain Norcross

Runtime:

156 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

UK:U (original rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

His role as Captain Norcross became the final feature film role for Alan Mowbray, ending a movie career of over thirty years.

Quotes:

Koichi Asano: The hardest word in the English language is "rorripop"
[lollipop]
Koichi Asano: .

Movie Connections:

References The Law and Jake Wade (1958)

Recently saw after 30-odd years; still a qualified treat

Looking at the film afresh as a mature adult, I'm now amazed I never realized that however excellent an actor Alec Guiness was, he simply looked ludicrous as an ersatz Japanese man. He appeared to have some sort of tightening device around his eyes so that they always looked closed! I guess that passed for generic Asian looks in those days. Too bad at the time James Shigeta was too young for the part; I kept visualizing him as an older man. That quibble aside, it is truly a heartwarming tale and well-performed by the wonderful Rosalind Russell and Mr. Guiness. Nice to see a regular-guy performance by Ran Danton, too, as the son-in-law. I'd always associated him with "Legs" Diamond and other unsavory characters he usually seemed to play. All in all, entertaining and drives home some important points about tolerance and family relations.