Petr Eduardovich Podalko,
PhD, Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo, Japan, e-mаil: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
From the Image of the “Enemy” to the Image of the “Friend”: “Japanese Theme” in Post-War American Cinema (2nd Half of 1940s – Early 1960s)
DOI: 10.31518/2618-9100-2022-5-18
The article aims to acquaint the Russian audience with American feature films of the late 1940s – early 1960s on the topic of mutual rapprochement of the “West” and the “East”, which played a significant role both in the general enlightenment of the masses and in achieving the goals of political propaganda in the conditions of the “Cold War”. It is shown how the task of preparing for the possible resumption of hostilities on a new front line in Asia was solved by means of artistic cinematography in the face of the American administration, and at the same time the old front line – the Japanese Islands – suddenly turned into the nearest rear for them. There was an urgent need not only to create and strengthen a new material base on the territory of the occupied country, but at the same time to change public opinion within America as quickly as possible, whose population is accustomed to perceive Japan and the Japanese exclusively in a negative context. The recent enemy should henceforth be perceived, if not as a friend, then as a loyal partner, and ideally as an ally. The following films are analyzed: “Tokyo Joe” (1949), “Tokyo File 212” (1951), “Go for Broke!” (1951), “Japanese War Bride” (1952), “Sayonara” (1956), “The Barbarian and The Geisha” (1958), “The Teahouse of the August Moon»” (1956), “None but The Brave” (1965). They reveal such complex problems as internment during the war in specially created camps of Japanese Americans; interracial relationships, including the possibility of interracial marriages; perception of the war with all its horrors through the eyes of ordinary people who have become irreconcilable enemies by force of circumstances.
Publishing: 28/10/2022
The article has been received by the editor on 27/04/2022
How to cite: Podalko P.E. From the Image of the “Enemy” to the Image of the “Friend”: “Japanese Theme” in Post-War American Cinema (2nd Half of 1940s – Early 1960s) // Historical Courier, 2022, No. 5 (25), pp. 213–221. [Available online: http://istkurier.ru/data/2022/ISTKURIER-2022-5-18.pdf]
Links: Issue 5 2022
Keywords: USA; Japan; Japanese people; cinema; propaganda; mutual understanding