{"id":82273,"date":"2022-03-20T08:33:48","date_gmt":"2022-03-20T15:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=82273"},"modified":"2022-03-20T08:33:48","modified_gmt":"2022-03-20T15:33:48","slug":"house-of-bamboo-1955","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=82273","title":{"rendered":"House of Bamboo (1955)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;It&#8217;s hard for you to understand; no foreigner does.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Poster.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Poster-198x300.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-82274\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Poster-198x300.png 198w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Poster-85x128.png 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Poster-178x270.png 178w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Poster.png 547w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAn American military policeman (Robert Stack) posing as the friend of a dead gangster in Japan begins to work for the gang&#8217;s leader (Robert Ryan), whose current henchman (Cameron Mitchell) isn&#8217;t happy about his number-one spot being taken over by Stack. Meanwhile, Stack has a romance with his deceased friend&#8217;s widow (Shirley Yamaguchi), who is posing as his &#8220;kimono girl&#8221;.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cameron Mitchell Films<\/li>\n<li>Gangsters<\/li>\n<li>Hidden or Mistaken Identities<\/li>\n<li>Robert Ryan Films<\/li>\n<li>Robert Stack Films<\/li>\n<li>Sam Fuller Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nPeary writes that this &#8220;taught low-budget action picture&#8221; is &#8220;one of Sam Fuller&#8217;s best films,&#8221; explaining that &#8220;Fuller believed that WWII didn&#8217;t end with the armistice &#8212; Japan was controlled by the U.S. military and exploited by American thugs and profiteers; loyalty among war vets was of utmost importance; [and] Americans still looked down on Japanese culture.&#8221; Indeed, many critics have noted the absurdity of the story on display here, with American gangsters creating a powerful syndicate in Japan despite not speaking the language, and despite the presence of the all-powerful Yakuza. With that enormous caveat aside, the film is indeed an impressive thriller with vibrant sets, gorgeous cinematography, and plenty of tension. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Rooftop.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Rooftop-1024x399.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"249\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-82281\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Rooftop-1024x399.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Rooftop-300x117.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Rooftop-128x50.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Rooftop-768x299.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Rooftop-604x235.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Rooftop.png 1183w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Peary points out that the &#8220;storyline involving Stack and Ryan greatly resembles that between police infiltrator Edmond O&#8217;Brien and gang leader James Cagney in <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=36525\"><em>White Heat<\/em><\/a>&#8221; &#8212; and &#8220;as in Walsh&#8217;s film, we tend to sympathize with the trusting, insane gang leader&#8221; &#8212; Ryan&#8217;s &#8220;mad ex-GI&#8221; &#8212; &#8220;instead of the man who commits the unforgivable: betrayal.&#8221; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Triangle.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Triangle-1024x403.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"252\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-82286\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Triangle-1024x403.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Triangle-300x118.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Triangle-128x50.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Triangle-768x302.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Triangle-604x238.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Triangle.png 1185w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Critics have also pointed out potential homoerotic valences between Ryan, Mitchell, and Stack &#8212; especially given a disturbingly brutal but beautifully filmed bathtub sequence later in the film. After being so disappointed by Fuller&#8217;s first CinemaScope outing, <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=82155\"><em>Hell and High Water<\/em> (1954)<\/a>, I was very pleasantly surprised to see Fuller back in true form here, showcasing masterful framing and peak storytelling skills. This one remains well worth a look.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Notable Performances, Qualities, and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Robert Ryan as Sandy Dawson<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Ryan2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Ryan2-1024x401.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"251\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-82279\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Ryan2-1024x401.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Ryan2-300x117.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Ryan2-128x50.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Ryan2-768x301.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Ryan2-604x236.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Ryan2.png 1183w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Excellent use of authentic locales<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Setting.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Setting-1024x402.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"251\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-82278\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Setting-1024x402.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Setting-300x118.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Setting-128x50.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Setting-768x302.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Setting-604x237.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Setting.png 1181w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li>Fine sets<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Big-Wheel2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Big-Wheel2-1024x398.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"249\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-82276\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Big-Wheel2-1024x398.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Big-Wheel2-300x117.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Big-Wheel2-128x50.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Big-Wheel2-768x299.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Big-Wheel2-604x235.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Big-Wheel2.png 1185w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Strong direction<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Still.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Still-1024x386.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"241\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-82283\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Still-1024x386.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Still-300x113.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Still-128x48.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Still-768x289.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Still-604x228.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Still.png 1176w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Running.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Running-1024x402.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"251\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-82280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Running-1024x402.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Running-300x118.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Running-128x50.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Running-768x302.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Running-604x237.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Running.png 1179w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Joseph MacDonald&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Sleeping.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Sleeping-1024x426.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"266\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-82277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Sleeping-1024x426.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Sleeping-300x125.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Sleeping-128x53.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Sleeping-768x319.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Sleeping-604x251.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Sleeping.png 1164w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Bath.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Bath-1024x421.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"263\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-82275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Bath-1024x421.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Bath-300x123.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Bath-128x53.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Bath-768x316.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Bath-604x248.png 604w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/House-of-Bamboo-Bath.png 1179w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as a fine crime flick by a master director. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Good Show<\/li>\n<li>Important Director<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0048182\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/reviews\/69647\/house-of-bamboo\/\">DVD Talk Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tvguide.com\/movies\/house-of-bamboo\/review\/2000029767\/\">TV Guide Review (spoiler alert)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/worldcinemaparadise.com\/2015\/08\/16\/2175\/\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tcm.com\/tcmdb\/title\/78524\/house-of-bamboo#articles-reviews?articleId=253507\">TCM Article<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s hard for you to understand; no foreigner does.&#8221; Synopsis: An American military policeman (Robert Stack) posing as the friend of a dead gangster in Japan begins to work for the gang&#8217;s leader (Robert Ryan), whose current henchman (Cameron Mitchell) isn&#8217;t happy about his number-one spot being taken over by Stack. Meanwhile, Stack has a romance with his deceased friend&#8217;s widow (Shirley Yamaguchi), who is posing as his &#8220;kimono girl&#8221;. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Cameron Mitchell Films Gangsters Hidden&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=82273\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=82273"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82288,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82273\/revisions\/82288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=82273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=82273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=82273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}