Let's get one thing out of the way. This film
was made in 1939. The characters are all Japanese. They are all played by
white people. So mass Yellow Face. None of that is the least surprising or
unexpected. I would be curious though if the operetta had a revival today
how they would go about it. There was a 1967 version as well - all white.
But what did surprise me was the production. Taking into account the year
I was fully expecting a black and white film - but this explodes in vibrant
dazzling colors - Technicolor in fact. Like the color part of
The Wizard of Oz. And they make the most of it with an imaginative
and fabulous array of costumes that felt more Alice in Wonderland on drugs
than Japan. The sets which are very artificial are lovely as well. The film
is visually a knockout and Criterion did a masterful job of remastering it.
I just sat there with a smile plastered on my face.
It is of course The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan. One of their most popular
works. The story is that Gilbert sent over an idea to Sullivan that had something
to do with magic pills and Sullivan sent it back saying I don't make music
for magic pills. Give me something with emotion. And Gilbert came up with
this story. Totally absurd but so were all their works - they were described
back then as topsy-turvy because they turn everything on its head. Filled
with music and comedy, it is totally charming. As I said with the The Story
of Gilbert and Sullivan, your opinion of the film or your ability to sit
through it depends entirely on whether you enjoy their music or need to reach
for a shoe to throw at it. If you decide to watch it, put the subtitles on
- I would have been lost without them. Some of the songs - what they
refer to as the Patter songs - go a mile a minute. And nearly the entire
cast is English other than the lead male who is American. And all the characters
filling out the smaller roles and chorus are from the D'Oyly Carte Company.
So my ears would have been battered and bruised trying to understand it.
If you are not familiar with the story - and I was only barely - here is
a quick recap. It is ancient Japan and the country is ruled by the Mikado.
A cheery chap who tells his only son that he must marry an older lady of
the court whose looks could break glass at fifty yards and if he doesn't
he will lose his head. Not in love but literally. So Nanki-poo (Kenny Baker)
runs away and disguises himself as a travelling minstrel (that they call
a second trombone). In a small city he meets Yum-Yum (Jean Colin) and they
fall in love. But this being G&S there are of course complications. She
is engaged to her Guardian Ko-Ko (Martyn Green) and cannot break it.
So he leaves and wanders around the country for a year until he sees a poster
that proclaims that Ko-Ko will be executed. This fills him with joy and song.
So he returns only to find out that since there was no High Executioner they
force Ko-Ko to take that job on but you can't execute yourself. It gets more
complicated but the gist is that the High Executioner is told by the Mikado
that he needs to execute someone, any one because his numbers are very low
- zero in fact. Nanki-poo agrees to be executed as long as he can marry Yum-Yum
and live with her for a month. And it gets more complicated. Nicely shot
in very theatrical settings and style. And those colors and costumes by Marcel
Vertès (Moulin Rouge, The Thief of Bagdad (1940)) never stop being
a delight.
As an addendum - I saw a review in which the writer called this racist and
was angry because they spoke English. Good Lord help us. I hope he never
stumbles across Madame Butterfly.
