While this wasn't an Oscar movie, I enjoyed this charming film on TCM. I find Aldo Ray a very interesting actor. He defines that 40s/50s rugged charisma (John Wayne-type) that I think lends itself well to the true story of a WWII veteran being touched by a Japanese woman and Japanese orphans. I really didn't know he had romantic leading man roles even though its a bit of a stretch for him at times. The movie is sensitive in its treatment of the cultural differences between the Japanese and Americans without being demeaning or hokey. Although the musical South Pacific touched upon similar themes, this doesn't always seem to be typical of the era.Mitsuko Kimura was very good and endearing. I wonder of her acting career listed here was actually that limited. Philip Carey, Dick Sargent and Chuck Connors all were good in their supporting roles. It's kind of funny watching Chuck Connors pitch in a charity baseball game knowing he played professionally. Even though he did not pitch in the pros, it looks like he was laying off the fastball.I also find this era in post-war Japan to be fascinating. Here you see some of Osaka and the lights of downtown Tokyo from the early-50s. It's too bad this was not filmed in color because there is some beautiful scenery around the Kyoto era.Thank you to Alana O'Reilly and the Veterans here who give this story a personal face.

In 1949 Occupied Japan, a U.S. Army sergeant who despises the locals ultimately finds a soft spot in his heart while working with the nuns and children at a bedraggled orphanage, soon falling in love with a Japanese translator. Although this story is based upon fact, with the real-life protagonist Sgt. Hugh O'Reilly acting as technical adviser, one hesitates to swallow such a big lump of sugar. The film has been designed as a heart warmer, and yet--as bullet-chested, no-nonsense Aldo Ray plays O'Reilly--the character's complete transformation into an old softy is rather too good to be true. Ray, who got stuck in a revolving door of battle films during this period, isn't an animated actor on-screen, his personality mostly consisting of a stoic manliness; here, he strains to utilize his goofy laugh and dumb-mug smile to convince us he's just a big kid on the playground (one with love in his eyes). Ray is a decent actor, but this part would be a stretch for even the most accomplished performer. Buddy Dick York gets some second-banana laughs, Phil Carey is a by-the-books colonel whose heart eventually thaws, while the sisters and little ones are constantly around to milk the audience for the utmost treacly effect. I didn't believe a minute of it. ** from ****

I was a U.S. Air Force airman in the 1503rd Air Transport Squadron. Our squadron shared air terminal facilities at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo with Japanese civilian airlines as well as a few other international airlines. My tour of duty was 1954-1955. During that period, a small portion of Three Stripes In The Sun was filmed at this airport located in Tokyo Bay. The Columbia Pictures crew recruited a few of us off duty enlisted men to be extras in a scene where Aldo Ray is just arriving in Tokyo from the U.S. Our part was to depart the aircraft by walking down some portable steps to the tarmac and then marching into the air terminal building in a single file. That all seemed simple enough but the first take didn't go so well. One of the navy guys stumbled and fell down the steps so we had to get back into that hot aircraft that had been baking in the sun to do it again. This really upset Aldo Ray because he was a little hung over from doing the town the night before and he didn't relish getting back into that oven.

Heartwarming tale, based on a true story. An American GI in Japan for the post WWII occupation hates the Japs, and is rather a grouch. But he falls in love with a Japanese orphanage worker and proceeds to do much to help the plight of the orphaned children. This includes actually stealing army supplies, and diverting them to the kids !The story doesn't fall into the trap of being soppy or sickly sweet, and the depiction of army life is pretty realistic. A feelgood story, very well done. Highly recommended.