The Barbarian and the Geisha

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A 1958 film directed by John Huston and starring John Wayne.

Plot

Townsend Harris (Wayne) is sent by President Pierce to Japan to serve as the first U.S. Consul-General to that country. Harris discovers enormous hostility to foreigners, as well as the love of a young geisha.

Based on the true story of American diplomat Townsend Harris, his time in Japan in the 1850s and 60s, and his romance with a 17-year-old geisha named Kichi. Their story is one of the most well-known folk tales in Japan. The real Harris died in New York in 1878, and the real Kichi committed suicide in Shimoda in 1892.

Trivia

At one point during filming, John Wayne became so infuriated with director John Huston, who was something of a tough guy himself and almost as tall as the Duke but not nearly as massive, that Wayne lost his temper and punched Huston, knocking him out cold. Exactly what Huston did to make the Duke that angry is unknown, but Huston was known to have a mean streak when it came to handling actors.

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