MovieChat Forums > Tenko (1981) Discussion > Series 3 - confused? (SPOILERS)

Series 3 - confused? (SPOILERS)

posted 13 years ago by TululaDaydream
10 replies | jump to latest

So I watched the series a few years ago, and I rewatched it again since it's been on the Yesterday channel on Sky. And there are some things which happened which I remember far differently.

There were several things which I recalled differently, but the biggest thing was that I remembered Yamauchi and the rest of the guards committing suicide after the war ended, because being taken prisoner was too shameful for them. But then this time, only Sato killed himself, and Yamauchi was taken prisoner by the British.

So I'm just wondering; were there two alternate endings for series 3?

[–] BritishFilms1 13 years ago

Yamauchi never committed suicide, but when Ulrica visited him in prison he said he wished he had, like Sato, as that was an honourable death. Yamauchi was tried for war crimes and later hanged.

[–] rdavies23 13 years ago

I don't think that there was an alternative ending. I remember watching it in the 1980s as a girl, and one of the things that sticks in my mind was Marion visiting him in Changi and offering to investigate the fate of his daughter and grandson.

I think that some things were left out of the YesterDay broadcasts though, such as the rape scene. Presumably this is because of the watershed.

[–] TululaDaydream 13 years ago

There was a rape scene? Who got raped, and by whom?

Also, another thing that I distinctly remember happening before which didn't seem to happen this time around was a scene in Marion and Clifford's garden, almost immediately after she'd arrived back in Singapore. They're having lunch in the garden, and Marion eats ravenously. Clifford is shocked and disgusted at her lack of manners, and Marion apologises.

But see, now that I think about it, none of that would add up, because Marion had been staying at Raffles for a few weeks, so would have been re-accustomed to food and would no longer eat ravenously. And Clifford felt guilty about the fact that she was in a POW camp for 3 years, so he was particularly gentle (sometimes) and would understand if she was to eat like that, rather than being appalled by it.

Damn... what did I watch all those years ago?

[–] BritishFilms1 13 years ago

It was more of an attempted rape. In S1 Ep 6, Blanche, Rose and Dorothy learn that Red Cross parcles have arrived at the camp but Yamauchi has been called away and they decide to count them in case the Japs keep some back. They are caught by 3 guards. They try it on with them and Blanche and Dorothy are prepared to play along but Rose balks and her screams are heard by Sato. Dorothy lies to Yamauchi that the women tried it on with the guards but Rose and Blanche tell the truth. They are staked in the sun until Sylvia and Marion get the truth out of Dorothy.

As for Clifford and Marion, their marriage never really stood a chance after all that happened. Over the 3 years of internment Marion was responsible for the women (apart from Verna's puppet leadership in Camp 2) and never really stopped feeling responsible for them, even after their release. Clifford could never begin to fully understand what they had been through and expected Marion to return to the life of a docile army wife. It was the same with the war crimes. Yamauchi and Marion came to respect each other and he did show compassion sometimes but that cut no ice with Clifford.

As for the food, I suppose after all that time without, you would eat ravenously, even if you had had it again for a short time. Remember in the camp the women went with little food, sometimes none at all, were beaten, abused, overworked, refused medicines and vitamins which could have saved lives, and had to bury the dead with their own hands, among other horrors.

[–] Flossieandflo 13 years ago

My parents have also mentioned they seem to remember a few scenes that didn't appear to be in the Yesterday channel's screening - not sure if it's the memory playing tricks or if it's been cut. I noticed in the Reunion screening there were a few abrupt chops to the advert breaks which would indicate perhaps so. It went out originally post watershed, and so it may have been necessary for an early evening slot.

I thought the Marion/Clifford relationship was very well played out, to begin with it looked like it would be the end for them and then they seemed to grow together again (Clifford really did make an effort to see her perspective at that point) but ultimately the divide was too deep. So sad, but realistic given the situation.

[–] rdavies23 13 years ago

Re. cutting scenes...the first time I watched the reunion, I recall that we saw Alice receive a letter from Marion inviting her to Singapore, near the beginning of the episode. She was at table with her father, and she said something to him but he didn't respond. This was cut from the recent YesterDay episode I think.

Although, it may be my mind playing tricks!

[–] chuffnobbler 13 years ago

I first saw Tenko on UK Drama, many years ago. When I saw it later on DVD, I realised how much was cut. One scene that really sticks in the memory is Ulrica's departure in the middle of series two: Dorothy is very emotional, and is punched to the ground by one of the guards. This is cut from the UK Drama version, so may well have been cut from Yesterday too.

Get the DVDs. You won't regret it!

We see Sato's ritual suicide, in ep 3.2, witnessed by Joss and Maggie. Yamauchi lives on and faces trial.

[–] Flossieandflo 13 years ago

The scene with Dorothy being punched to the ground was definitely shown in the Yesterday screening, it was such a powerful scene I couldn't forget it.

[–] dear_eliza 11 years ago

Just to clarify a few points above.

There is most certainly a scene where Marion eats outside, scoffs from the plate and Clifford is disgusted - this is in the final episode Tenko reunion.

I watched this from beginning to end over the past 9 days and it is just brilliant, I haven't seen it since 1981 and my mind must have played a few tricks on me, as I too thought Yamauchi committed Hari Kari in front of Marion. (Maybe there was an alternate ending? I do recall him in the 'office' with a large sword). Trick of the memory over 30 years perhaps?!

I also recalled that Rose was in a tent or similar, eating Marmite and saying how she could smell her self (the gangrene). This is slightly different to how I remembered, as she is with Bernard in a shed after they escape to meet, when she is eating the Marmite from a jar- and it is later on when she says to Blanche that she doesn't have to stay and visit her, as she is aware of the smell coming from her.

It is WELL worth watching this again, I see from the comments there is almost 10 years between the first and last comment here on the Tenko threads!

I would love to know how Patricia Lawrence (Sister Ulrica) died, sadly she was only 67 and it was in 1993.

[–] Jerseyporter 11 years ago

Patricia Lawrence died of cancer - Veronica Roberts and her were great friends in real life too, mirroring their friendship in the series as life imitated art. Most of the actresses became, and remained good friends, those who are still with us regularly meeting up, attending each other's weddings and such like.

I highly recommend downloading the Kindle version of 'Remembering Tenko', which was the companion book detailing how the series came to be made in the first place, in-depth character and episode analyses, including Tenko Reunion (easier to read on a laptop or tablet, though - there are lots and lots of photos taken by the cast, as well as official promotional ones, and they look much better on a larger screen).

Jerseyporter

"The end is where we start from." (Captain Jack, "Torchwood")