Editing Sayonara (section)

==Production==
According to director [[Joshua Logan]], [[Marlon Brando]] was the first choice. He turned it down so they offered the part to [[Rock Hudson]] who had too many obligations at Universal. They tried Brando again who was reluctant, so they offered the female lead to [[Audrey Hepburn]]. Brando eventually agreed to do it if they changed the ending of the novel so the two lovers got married instead of the American leaving. When Hepburn turned him down, he looked to cast an unknown actress.<ref name="capote">{{cite magazine |last=Capote |first=Truman |author-link=Truman Capote |date=November 9, 1957 |title=The Duke in His Domain |url=https://www.newyorker.com/archive/1957/11/09/1957_11_09_053_TNY_CARDS_000252812?currentPage=1 |magazine=The New Yorker |accessdate=August 9, 2007}}</ref> [[Miiko Taka]], who at the time was working as a clerk at a travel agency in Los Angeles, was discovered by a talent scout at a local Nisei festival.<ref name="discovered">{{cite news |last=Scott |first=John L. |date=May 5, 1957 |title=Fortune Bolt puts Miiko in Top Film Spot |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |page=E3}} - [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/95071956/ Clipping] at [[Newspapers.com]].</ref> She was cast despite having no previous acting experience.<ref name="capote" /> Logan cast Ricardo Montalbán after claiming he was unable to find a Japanese actor for the role.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/00josh/page/5/mode/1up?q=picnic+|first=Joshua|last=Logan|year=1978|pages=90–121|title=Movie stars, real people and me|publisher=Bantam Doubleday Dell |isbn=9780440062585 }}</ref>

Brando affected a nondescript [[American English|Southern accent]] for Gruver, despite the objections of director Logan, who did not think a Southern accent was appropriate for a general's son who was educated at West Point. Logan later admitted to the author and journalist [[Truman Capote]] about Brando, "I've never worked with such an exciting, inventive actor. So pliable. He takes direction beautifully, and yet he always has something to add. He's made up this Southern accent for the part; I never would have thought of it myself, but, well, it's exactly right&nbsp;– it's perfection."<ref>{{ Citation | last=Capote | first=Truman | title=Portraits and Observations | publisher=Modern Library | place=New York | year=2008 | page=191 }}</ref> Ricardo Montalbán, born in Mexico to Spanish immigrants, plays a Japanese character in “[[yellowface]]” makeup. Montalbán modeled his performance on [[Seki Sano]], a well-known Japanese acting teacher under whom he had trained.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.emmys.com/news/esteemed-actor-ricardo-montalban-dies |title=Esteemed Actor Ricardo Montalban Dies }}</ref>

Garner wrote in his memoirs that he actively lobbied to play his role, one of the few times in his career he did this. It had originally been cast with [[John Smith (actor)|John Smith]], but Garner succeeded in getting the part.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Garner Files: A Memoir|first1=James|last1=Garner|first2=Jon|last2=Winokur|publisher=Simon & Schuster|year=2011|page=251}}</ref>