I usually enjoy Michael York films, but this one was absurdly pandering and cloying from the very beginning, complete ridiculous and irritating from the start. He's Prince George, the British heir to the throne (name changed from the real prince of course, not that anybody didn't know who he was supposed to be), on a holiday to Japan to meet his intended (Anne Lonnberg) he doesn't love (and vice versa), and escapes from his servants so he can explore the city on his own.
Nobody recognizes him because he's wearing sunglasses, and after he escapes from a shady nightclub (dragged in against his will with no objection, and unable to pay his bill), he hops onto a tour bus where he charms singing tour guide Hidemi Aoki with his inability to pay as well, claiming to be a sailor. Romance ensues over English tea (served by her), and the only hence you got anybody recognizes him comes from two American tourists on the bus. Charming George is a polite scalawag, and after a while, York's charm can't help this ridiculous story move forward.
This apparently had a very minimal release and I can see why. It is idiotic that anybody in this film would not know who the most popular bachelor prince in the world is, as his character would certainly have his face plastered everywhere. The fact that they could even get away with making such a ridiculously old-fashioned film in the 70's is head shaking. It perpetuates practically every stereotype I've ever seen of the Japanese culture, and presents the tourist spots in a not so favorable light.
This was referred to as a modern day "Roman Holiday", but even though that film had its implausibilities, the way Audrey Hepburn was able to disguise her identity in that film was at least understandable. York continues to be in tailored designer suits throughout, and he doesn't get mobbed. It's basically the plot of a 1920's operetta set in the 1890's, and after a while, I started wanting the characters to start singing Romberg or Friml. Not even laugh worthy unintentionally. Just painful to try to get through. Only saved from a bomb rating thanks to the exotic location footage.
Nobody recognizes him because he's wearing sunglasses, and after he escapes from a shady nightclub (dragged in against his will with no objection, and unable to pay his bill), he hops onto a tour bus where he charms singing tour guide Hidemi Aoki with his inability to pay as well, claiming to be a sailor. Romance ensues over English tea (served by her), and the only hence you got anybody recognizes him comes from two American tourists on the bus. Charming George is a polite scalawag, and after a while, York's charm can't help this ridiculous story move forward.
This apparently had a very minimal release and I can see why. It is idiotic that anybody in this film would not know who the most popular bachelor prince in the world is, as his character would certainly have his face plastered everywhere. The fact that they could even get away with making such a ridiculously old-fashioned film in the 70's is head shaking. It perpetuates practically every stereotype I've ever seen of the Japanese culture, and presents the tourist spots in a not so favorable light.
This was referred to as a modern day "Roman Holiday", but even though that film had its implausibilities, the way Audrey Hepburn was able to disguise her identity in that film was at least understandable. York continues to be in tailored designer suits throughout, and he doesn't get mobbed. It's basically the plot of a 1920's operetta set in the 1890's, and after a while, I started wanting the characters to start singing Romberg or Friml. Not even laugh worthy unintentionally. Just painful to try to get through. Only saved from a bomb rating thanks to the exotic location footage.