This week’s mystery movie has been the 1957 RKO picture “Escapade in Japan,” with Teresa Wright, Cameron Mitchell, Jon Provost, Roger Nakagawa, Philip Ober, Kuniko Miyake, Susumu Fujita, Katsuhiko Haida and Tatsuo Saito. It was written by Winston Miller, filmed in Technirama by William Snyder, with music by Max Steiner, art direction by George W. Davis and Walter Holscher, set decoration by Shinz Isa. William Dozier was in charge of production, produced and directed by Arthur Lubin.
The movie is available on dubious DVDs, and is often passed off as a Clint Eastwood movie based on a few moments of screen time. My copy (recorded off TCM years ago) has fairly crummy color that I had to adjust for posting on the Web.
Writing in the New York Times (Dec. 24, 1957), A.W. said:
Call it coincidental, but “Escapade in Japan,” which slipped into the Little Carnegie yesterday, is gratifyingly reminiscent of “The Happy Road” of last summer, which, with the aid of a pair of charming youngsters, roamed over France and struck blows for brotherly love. “Escapade,” which employs a couple of winning little boys — an American and a Japanese — not only takes a viewer on a Cook’s tour of Nippon but also strikingly shows the effects of mutual respect and admiration. It makes for a simple but delightful junket.
This has been a fun week – for me, anyway. Howard Mandelbaum wrote of seeing the film at a kiddie matinee in the 1950s. And Gary shared an interesting reminiscence of working with Teresa Wright. I don’t think anybody is going to call this a landmark of cinema. It’s loaded with the painfully awful dialogue that adults write for children and sounds nothing like the way kids talk. The boys are always, always, always hungry and much of the plot concerns them in various ploys to get food. It’s also badly dated in its portrayal of Japan – even the usually reliable Max Steiner resorts to generic gongs and cymbals. It’s essentially a 1950s travelogue of exotic Japan with a story line to string it together.
For Monday, we have a mystery woman.
This is a case of such goings-off rather than such goings-on.
Update: This is Mari Maki.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery woman.
Update: This is Kuniko Miyake.
For Wednesday, we have a mystery gentleman.
Update: This is This is Tatsuo Saito.
Brain Trust roll call: Gary (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery woman).
For Thursday, we have three adorable young people with various degrees of mysteriousness.
Update: This is This is Hideko Koshikawa, Roger Nakagawa and Jon Provost.
For Friday …
Update: Pilot to tower: Play “Misty” for me.
Also, a not terribly mysterious couple … (they most certainly do not approve of such goings-on).
Update: Cameron Mitchell and Teresa Wright.
Brain Trust roll call: Lorenzo (mystery movie and Thursday’s Mystery Child No. 3), Tucson Barbara (mystery movie and mystery guests), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Thursday’s Mystery Child No. 3), Jenny M. (mystery movie and Thursday’s Mystery Child No. 3), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery children), Anne Papineau (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery lads), Gary (Monday’s mystery stripteuse and Thursday’s mystery Child No. 3), Sylvia E (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery stripteuse and Thursday’s mystery children), Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery stripteuse, Tuesday’s mystery woman and Thursday’s mystery children) and Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery lads).
ladailymirror.com 
Miyoshi Umeki.
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Interesting guess, but I’m afraid not.
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And it looks like the figures in the background do not approve of such goings-off!
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Sadicko Hidari today.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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A wild guess for Monday – the actress in the foreground may be Kinuyo Tanaka. It kind of looks like her.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Kuniko Miyake.
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Escapade in Japan
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The young boy on the right in Thursday photo reminds me of Jon Provost and the 1957 movie Escapade in Japan.
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Escapade in Japan
Monday – Mari Maki
Tuesday – Kuniko Miyake
Wednesday – Tatsuo Saito
Thursday – Hideko Koshikawa, Roger Nakagawa, and Jon Provost
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Jon Provost in ESCAPADE IN JAPAN 1957.
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Jon Provost in Escapade in Japan.
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Hideko Koshikawa, Roger Nakagawa, Jon Provost in ESCAPADE IN JAPAN.
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Roger Nakagawa and Jon Provost in “Escapade in Japan”
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On Thursday we have Jon Provost and his friends but I am unable to decipher from the Data Base which names are theirs. Nor is Wikipedia any help.On Monday I believe the actress is Mari Maki.
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“Aha Thursday” (kind of)
The movie is Escapade in Japan 1957
Mon – I think is Mari Maki (because in IMdB she’s the only stripper char. mentioned)
Tues – I think is Ayako Hidawa
Wed – I think is Frank Tokunaga
Thurs – Jon Provost, Roger Nakagawa and Hideko Koshikawa (the only names I’m positive about)
I’m wondering if Friday will bring not only the main adult cast, but possibly one of the “pilots” in a ‘before he became famous’ role? Hope so.
Tough but fun puzzle. Thanks.
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ESCAPADE IN JAPAN. Mari Maki Monday, Kuniko Miyaki Tuesday, Jon Provst and Hidako Koshikawa today.
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Roger Nakagama today as well.
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Escapade in Japan with Jon Provost and Roger Nakagawa for today.
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I guess Friday’s mystery people will be Theresa Wright and Cameron Mitchell, maybe with Philip Ober thrown in for good measure. 🙂
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Ah, okay. Clint Eastwood in his Rowdy Yates days. 😉
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Clint Eastwood; Cameron Mitchell & Teresa Wright.
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Clint Eastwood in photo #1, along with Cameron Mitchell and Teresa Wright today.
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Hello to Clint, Cameron and Miss Wright.
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Clint Eastwood is “Dumbo Pilot (uncredited)” in Escapade in Japan 1957, per imdb.
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Cameron Mitchell and Teresa Wright
Ya-a-a-a-y! Thank you for including “the pilot before he became famous” Clint Eastwood.
Looking forward to hearing who Tues’ and Weds’ guests are.
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Friday: Pilot on the right is Clint Eastwood. Second photo: Cameron Mitchell and Theresa Wright Movie is Escapade in Japan.
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Clint Eastwood at the helm.
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Well, I don’t think I have ever seen or heard of this one, Escapade in Japan w/Jon Provost, Cameron Mitchell, Clint Eastwood and Teresa Wright.
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Cameron Mitchell and Teresa Wright. In 1979 I had the pleasure of working on a film, The Rocking Chair Rebellion, with Teresa Wright. Off camera she was just as you see her on camera. She was a charming woman and a true professional. My memory of the experience remains vivid because the assistant cameraman would try to engage her in conversation during the down moments regarding her experiences in having worked with Alfred Hitchcock. Graciously she would answer his questions but in such a way as to not further the conversation. A complete bore, it took him some time to get with the program. I considered it one of her best performances.
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