Miyoshi Umeki: The First East Asian Woman to Win an Acting Oscar 

(As an Asian woman, although not Japanese)I'd like to also point out, that in "the donna reed show" while the "western/American women's way of life" is very "idealized", the way they tell about the "traditional eastern/Asian women" way of life is also a very idealized version as well. The whole "I do it because I love him" thing runs the risk of furthering the stereotype of Asian women NATURALLY being more submissive, and trivializing the struggle of Asian women who are actually living in an Asian cultural context, but trying to defy the old "gender norm/role".

Why did I tear up when I saw this posted though? My Grandma Keiko loved this actress, showed me so many of her films. Thank you so much for this one BKR.

She needs a movie or documentary of her life.

Can we just talk about how badass Lana Turner was to show up at the Oscars with her daughter Cheryl in full and open defiance of abusive mob boss bf Johnny Stompanato? Even if it led to tragic consequences days later. Lana was SHAKING in her onstage appearance for crying out loud.

The number of actors of Asian descent whose stellar work in Hollywood has been overlooked by the Academy is staggering. But we all know how racist Hollywood is. The sad thing is no one in Hollywood seems to want to acknowledge this at all. Miyoshi Umeki was a token win, and I understand completely why she threw her Oscar away. She had been used as a tool by Hollywood to perpetuate their racist attitudes, and she must have realized it eventually. I feel sad for her but I think her biggest victory was not for winning the trophy but for throwing it away.

Prior to her death in 1961, Anna May Wong took the role of Madame Liang in Flower Drum Song, but backed out due to her health, and it went to Juanita Hall AKA Bloody Mary. She was producer Ross Hunter's first choice for the role and it could have constituted a comeback for her of sorts. It would have been great if only to see her and Miyoshi Umeki share the screen together.

Michelle Yeoh gonna break ground on Best Actress at 2022 Oscars for Everything Everywhere. I just know it.

Lol the irony of a 1950s show talking about how women aren’t supposed to be being subservient. It rings to me like “Be subservient in our way” lol

Woa I didn’t know she threw away her Oscar. The way she did it was badass and considering the limitation of Asian roles in Hollywood at that time, I can possibly see why she was fed up with acting and awards.

This was an excellent episode on Miyoshi Umeki. I don't see that much difference between Miyoshi's recognition and Youn Yun-jung's, as they are both assimilation stories, but Minari feels more authentic in perspective than Sayonara. But it still doesn't mean the Academy didn't reward it for assimilation reasons, especially a year after recognizing Parasite when, to my knowledge, that wasn't the first film to look at class from South Korea. In a way, the Academy fetishes Asian filmmakers. Maybe Miyoshi scratched out her Oscar not only to teach a lesson on the importance of material things, but also, because it was a moment, not a movement.

Thank you for adding the “In the Airs of An Angel” and “Material Girl” bits😭‼️Also, Ms. Umeki deserved better. I wished she did not threw away her Oscar, but she had her reasons.

Okay I understand the love of Debbie Kerr… but Joanne Woodward’s work in “The Three Faces of Eve” was stunning. A few years ago I went on a mission to watch every “Best Actress” winning film and this performance was easily Top 5 in my opinion.

I always find these breakthroughs of foreign or non-standard “white” stories in old Hollywood so interesting. Yes they are full of orientalism, stereotypes, tokenism, and simplifications.. but you get brief interesting moments of authenticity or new viewpoints that people had to fight for that paved the way to our modern era. Nowadays so many people just think culture and progress began with the internet age, but the historical moments of the past are so insightful to see and shouldn’t be forgotten.

I remember watching The Donna Reed Show on Nick at Nite as a kid. Although many of the shows had problematic themes, just looking at that little exchange is a reminder of what a wonderful actress Reed was (and Umeki has brilliant comic timing). It's really sad how much talent the American film and TV industry wasted. Petition for an BKR in the future on Peyton Place, book, film, and later TV show!

I remember finding the musical ‘The King and I’ great fun but MY GOODNESS it’s so Orientalist but of course, it’s very OF it’s time.

not the Deborah Kerr cameo too lmaoooo luv u deb

How shocking was "Peyton Place"? My mother, then a college student, hid that she was reading the book by using another hardcover book's outer cover.

Miyoshi gives a very 'less is more' performance in Sayonara, where the writing doesn't fully tap into Katsumi's character but she almost fills in the blanks and you feel like you know her. It was such a radical film for its time, as the first Hollywood film to feature a white man/Asian woman kiss and doing the rare thing of having them end up together (most previous such pairings in film had to end with one or two of the lovers dying). It was also envisioned as a celebration of Japanese performing arts, hence Hana-ogi and Nakamura being performers. The American perspective is specifically because it's designed for an American audience to see themselves in Lloyd Gruver - who's the typical 1950s American macho man that then goes through character development to learn all about another culture and reconsider his prejudices (while it's from his perspective, we learn plenty about Hana-ogi as a person to make her feel like a developed character). Sayonara and The World of Suzie Wong are sometimes completely misrepresented as complete Orientalist fantasy, when both films actually broke stereotype at the time by having the male lead reject a white woman he wasn't compatible with for an Asian woman. Both Hana-ogi and Suzie were subversive for being lively, passionate and determined. They broke the 'China Doll' archetype by being assertive and strong willed, and they broke the 'Dragon Lady' archetype by being sexy but still virtuous. And I think one of the beautiful aspects to Flower Drum Song is how it ends with both pioneering actresses Miyoshi and Nancy Kwan sharing a song as equals, demonstrating how both their respective types of women can be equally valid.

Miyoshi Umeki’s performance in Sayonara is lovely, brought mr to tears

Perfect timing that youtube would put this in my recommended after Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian actor to win Best Actress and the second POC to win the award

Absolutely loved this! I didn’t know much about Miyoshi Umeki, and this was a fantastic way to introduce her, I’m excited to go find some of her performances. You know, these videos are so dense with information, but are structured and written so well that it never feels like someone narrating a textbook. It’s great and engaging work, as usual

Could you do a video on Marlee Matlin's 1986 Best Actress win? I've suggested this video topic before but I think it's more relevant now as Troy Kotsur just became the second deaf person after Matlin to win an academy award. It would be interesting to examine the way film has portrayed disability and disabled characters over the years.

My friend who is japanese doesn’t even know her name… Love this video, super interesting and incredibly relevant on the american cultural domination. T’habite you

Always love your perspective. I feel like I'm in the best film studies course. I come away feeling both entertained and educated.

a film about her life would be so fastinating. it seems to me like she was almost forced to constantly be vocal about her support for americans during the war even though i'm sure she felt differently, but needed to be positive for her career. it's also crazy to me how much i love film and yet how little the media has ever mentioned her in terms of oscars history.

It's such a treat whenever you post ☺

Tangential but I really enjoyed the Kinuyo Tanaka retrospective. Glad to see you boosting that!

As a Filipino... I never quite know how to feel about Japan. But this made me realize how incredibly similar our histories are.

The problem with the Oscars is that they are local, but are marketed international. I don’t quite know why.

I thought this would have been more about the Supporting Actress race but I absolutely loved this.

Curious that Miyoshi Umeki's career in American films and television saw no corresponding career elevation in Japanese media. According to IMDB, after she made Sayonara, she worked exclusively in US entertainment. This seems odd to me given virtually every other foreign born star who had a presence in American media - certainly the ones who went on to win Oscars - usually maintained a strong presence in the media of their native country. But not Umeki. I would think the Japanese would be intrigued by one of their own achieving stardom in American films.

Not only was this a great video, but thank you for all the links to her music, especially! She is AMAZING and I can't believe I've never heard of her before now. Her tone and voice are just out of this world.

This is a good video about Umeki. She was my first crush, and I love her still. That intro clip by Wallace was the best part of his horrid interview. He has an actress on and he wants to grill her on politics, the war... what a buffoon. She responded with grace and charm. 😎

These videos are always so fascinating, the great amount of care you put into the research and presentation always shows 💜

Thank you for this wonderful background on Miyoshi Umeki. I have been fascinated by her since I was a kid, and my mom took me to see Flower Drum Song . Then I saw Sayonara ❤️ I had no idea of her experience as a singer. I, of course, remember her in The Courtship of Eddies Father. People should know about her and her gracious beauty.

A new BKR video adds five years to my life ❤️ (In the good way)

The Donna Reed episode was very unrealistic. In 1957 my mother married an American service man, along with 40,000+ others, and those young women were very modernized and independent having been working women in postwar Japan. They weren't wearing formal kimonos and traditional geisha hair decorations etc. especially after coming to the U.S. They wore modern dresses and skirts, even pants, like other Westerners. Those TV and movie stereotypical portrayals used to make my mom laugh.

Etching out your name on your Oscar is a very powerful statement

Another GREAT essay, apt and chockfull of fascinating detail, as well as an engaging discussion. How do you do it? Miyoshi Umeki was so sweet, it's nice to see her explored here more fully than I ever knew. She sounds as full of integrity as the roles she played, but on a totally different plane! The Courtship of Eddie's Father was my favorite TV show when I was around Eddie's age. And what a surprise to find at the show's conclusion that his dad -- the future HULK, wasn't he? -- married her. The Minnelli-directed film with Opie and William Holden was pretty good, too. I'm definitely checking out Miyoshi Umeki's music, and the film Sayonara, which I never saw before ... Thanks!

Moments like 4:04 are exactly WHY I LOVE YOUR CHANNEL so much. It's so full of honesty it's refreshing

Thank you!!! I am HOWLING at that Deborah Kerr section where she lost. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Truthfully Ozu’s movies about women’s lives are my favorite

Fascinating Work BKR! I watched Flower Drum Song about a year ago and now I think I want to watch Sayonara and anything else Miyoshi stared in as well as the Japanese actresses who did great work and didn’t get recognition because they took a more nuanced look. P.S. you’re right Miyoshi has a BEAUTIFUL singing voice!

The “material girl” by saucy Santana moment SENT ME. These very serious academic educational feminist video essays have no business being so damn funny.

15:02 I remember Miriam Margolyes talking about this on Graham Norton’s show that she could’ve been nominated for an Academy Award for ‘The Age of Innocence’ but wasn’t due to incorrect categorisation.

I watched this about a month ago and Myoshi Umeki really stuck in my mind. I felt an enormous amount of affection for her without having yet seen one of her films. As an avid record collector, I did some research to try and find one to add to my list to look for when I visit record/media stores and realized that they aren't that easy to find. Last weekend, I went to the Orlando Record Fair and nearly started dancing between the booths when I came across a copy of "Myoshi" from Mercury Records in fantastic condition for $13! I can't wait to spin it!

One interesting thing about the Oscar race was that the Oscar "The Bridge Over River Kwai" didn't win was Supporting Actor for another Japanese actor, Sessue Hayakawa, who represented the villain in a World War movie. Another note is that besides the movies of Naruse and Mizoguchi, you could have mentioned Kinuyo Tanaka, a woman who directed movies in the 50s and who also brought light to the female condition in post-war Japan. Her Love Letters/Koibumi is about the women who kept corresponding with soldiers after they returned home to ask for money. You can draw a lot of parallels between Koibuni and Sayonara, comparing not only cultures but the way directors of different genders talked about this issue. Some of her movies are available here on RU-vid, including Koibumi.

I had no knowledge of Umeki beforehand and again you prove you can tell both intimate and grand scale stories by squarely aiming the light at a woman. It really is a microcosm that the year that Bridge Over River Kwai swept the Oscars, this supporting role by a Japanese actress was also singled out.

I enjoyed how you presented this. I like everything about your way of delving into many aspects. She was interesting and I agree it would have been wonderful if she could have done more. She seemed lovely.

She has always deserved an honest story of her life and you have done it. Thank you.

Thanks for linking to her songs and to Flower Drum Song. I'll be adding it to my watchlist. I always enjoy the movies your channel introduces me to.

Always great to see another video from you and I'm loving that you're delving into the supporting actress category 👏🏽👏🏽

I am a big fan of Miyoshi Umeki, even though I did not know who she was 2 years ago (except that I remember Mrs Livingston, from when I was a kid) when I watched "Flower Drum Song" because I learned that Jack Soo (of Barney Miller fame), was in it. But as I watched the film Miyoshi as Mei Li completely captivated me with her singing and her overall performance. I have been learning a little more about her as time goes on and the more I learn the more I am impressed. For instance I only knew of her Oscar win in 1958 for "Sayonara" after I recently watched the film. My feelings after seeing her performances all through my life and knowing of her place in our acceptance and admiration of Asian cultures, all I can say is that she is one of a handful of people who arrive in an era and help transform it. She did so with talent, charm and graciousness. Knowing that there was someone like Miyoshi Umeki, walking among us on this planet, gives me hope for the human race.

Just got home from work, tired, I start to heat coffee, serve it and open youtube and a brand new video about another fascinating person comes up... day is good again

Love her! Another great video!

I love your analysis coupled with how analyzing film history can give us so much context into other aspects of history. Keep it up :)

Incredible as always! This was so informative and incredibly research❤

Thank you for content. I love learning this way.

Consistently outstanding, consistently loved. Thank you for all the excellence! ♥

i'm so excited for this one! i watched flower drum song so many times as a child but know nothing about any of the actors in it, or how the musical came to be.

It's all fantastic, as always, but I cackled at the Deborah Kerr Oscar-loss cut. Jesus Christ. Thank you for everything you do.

Another excellent video essay! Many thanks! 😃

Whoo, yes! It's nice to see you back and addressing miyoshi umeki after youn yuh jungs win!

Beautifully, sensitively done! Thank you!

I'm listening to her now on Spotify courtesy of your link. You are absolutely right. She has a very, very lovely voice.

Your videos just keep getting better and better!!

My vocabulary has expanded so much by watching your videos!

I First heard Myoshi Umiki on a Juke Box,whilst serving in the RAF at RAF Seletar (West Camp) Singapore, July 1956, Her voice was dazzling, her version of DARK MOON caused me to look around the record shops until I found a 78 (Shellac Recording) The record remains one of my Favorites.To find all the history of this girl on Google was a wild Shot in the dark. Still sounds great after all these years, Many thanks to Google for creating this reproduction.

I just subscribed to Mubi bc of you! It’s worth it!!

Your videos are increíble. I always click one and go the whole way, watching it for as long as it lasts. Which doesn’t happen often. I always learn something from your work. I am always empowered by it. You are so talented. Thank you for putting context and understanding to movie history.

I lost it at “executive producer Larry David” truly the funniest and saddest use of the meme to date.

I simply loved this one! Since last year Yeun Yuh-jung's win I tried to learn a little bit more about Asian's and Oscar and Miyoshis name always appeared. Thank you for this quality of videos

Youn Yuh-Jung is adorable! I loved her at the Oscars.

Yay new episode! ❤

Thank you so much for you channel. It's just... wonderful. Thank you

Thank you for this and for all the videos you have posted.

Great episode as always!

Great video, as usual!!! Loved it! A true history lesson!!

I was just thinking about her the other day and then this popped up. Thank you. Have always loved her since childhood. She was so charming. I wish one of these retro channels was re-running Courtship of Eddie's Father now.

She is back 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

your videos never disapoint!

I always love when you uncover a piece of movie history that I know nothing about. Respect to Miyoshi.

Another fantastic episode, Izzy!

BKind please do a video about Shirley MacLaine's Oscar and her nominations that she lost. I'm such a fan your channel, thanks for you always amazing work.

Your humor and editing has improved a lot!

I'm not sure if I've said this before, but I always look forward to the next old or new video that you post because I too am a major film enthusiast and it all started when I took a film studies course at college and that lit the flame. I want to also say you are my favorite RU-vid channel by a wide margin and I recommend your channel too people whenever I have the opportunity to. Be well, live long and prosper, and never lose your wonderful talent for film and actor analysis.

Fabulous. I've never seen Flower Drum Song. I love musicals, so I'll have to check it out!

Another great episode! I'm not as familiar with Umeki as I should be, so I'll be searching out her films now.

I’m so happy to see this.

This one instigated a good conversation, thanks BeKindRewind 😀

Thank you for introducing me to this lovely woman.

Love these videos. Always enjoy learning so much more about their life prior and after the win. Not sure if this might be on your list, but one on Marlee Matlin would be interesting as well.

Thanks for another great video :) I love this topic! I watched a play years back here in New Zealand (by a NZ playwright) called LUNCHEON which was about the luncheon thrown by Carolyn Jones for the five actresses nominated in this category that year. It really taught me a lot and I've been obsessed with the story ever since.

Loved this vid. Suggestion: now-ish would be a great time for a Marlee Matlin video essay with the recent coda wins. Might draw more people to your channel.

Wondering how much research this would have taken. I was a complete alien to her or her journey, thanks for this.

I love you videos. I hope you could make one about how certain foreign films, like Amelie, Life is beautiful or City of God, were both popular and recognized, even by the Academy Awards, since they were pushed by Miramax. You're great!

The political wit, humor, and interspersion of other media at 21:50 - 22:35 had me LOL in the San Francisco East Bay, Northern California that I am convinced I could be heard all over RU-viddom. Touché!

Thank you for mentioning the Kim sisters 💕

i been looking forward to this topic.

Love your videos!

“I’m looking elsewhere…” I’ve seen all your videos, and this is probably my favorite line!