What did Yonoi see in Jack?


Honestly, I can't figure out where the admiration comes from or why Yonoi appreciated him so much.

At the very start of the film, from Yonoi perspective all he knows is that he was called in to sit on a trial of a "difficult man" and he had no idea what crime or anything Jack had done up until the proceedings. In the proceedings as well there was nothing that really stands out for Jack's character that would appeal to Yonoi - if anything it would deter him due to Jack being a wiseass and cracking jokes. Where did he acquire the urge to have him in his camp?

Was there something explained in the book that wasn't explained in the movie? Perhaps in deliberations they gave more backstory to Jack?

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Must everything be spelled out for you? Don't be lazy!

There are probably many interpretations, but to me Yonoi showed admiration, adulation and dare I say it Love to Celliers. If it was love, then there really is no need for further explanation.

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The thing is, this is not shown in the movie - all that I got from Bowie's character was that he was a weirdo and certainly not a "soldier's soldier" as Lawrence described him.

The book may have explained it better, but I can't read, so hey, there's that.

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Books on tape, bro. It's how me and my bros have been getting around reading for years.

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In the book this scene is pretty much explained as Yonoi and Celliers being two birds of the same kind, admiring each other's beautiful feathers. I saw the movie before I read the book almost 20 years ago and I always felt it showed the scene just like in the book. It's physical attraction first and then turns into some kind of admiration for Cellier's character or what Yonoi thinks is admirable about Celliers. He misunderstands him quite a bit and I guess he also tells himself this admiration is the reason he had to take him into his camp and not his attraction to him/falling in love with him. It's like he uses it as an excuse.

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Also, Yonoi has led a life in which order, authority, discipline has meant everything. He senses the streak of anarchy in Celliers's character and is bewildered, attracted and repelled by it at the same time.

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I haven't read the book yet, but my take on it starts at the trial. Yanoi was intrigued by Celliars having surrendered. This was totally opposite what Yanoi was trained to do and from what he expected from those beneath him. He obviously went along with having Celliars executed and again was intrigued when Celliars showed courage beyond the preconception brought on by his earlier surrender. By refusing to be dragged to the executioners, to walk himself, to refuse to be blindfolded, to look the executioners in their eyes (he was told the blindfold was for the executioners, not him), and ultimately, his survival (and the words he spoke after multiple gunshot wounds) caused Yanoi to respect him and want him in his camp as the leader of the prisoners, perhaps to be an example to the other prisoners of how they should behave as warriors. Celliars was the closest foreign thing to Yanoi that Yanoi had yet found. For that, he loved him, and would not harm him. A none sexual, yet still homosexual love so to speak. The same love he depended on from his closest underlings who were so concerned with how the prisoners' actions and disrespect toward Yanoi affected him that a couple tried to murder the culprits in revenge.

Hope this helps.

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When I first saw the movie back in 1983, I didn't understand much of the motives, but clearly there are a great deal of homosexual undertones throughout this movie.

Lawrence explained it earlier in the movie (and better in the book) that men in war develop a close bond of love, which sometimes includes sexual inclinations. While Yonoi did respect Celliers as a fellow soldier, he was also in constant conflict due to his sexual attraction to him.

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As I understand it though Celliers was unhurt after the firing squad episode - it was a mock execution.

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I think this is the best explanation on here.

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uh... it's DAVID FRIKKIN BOWIE!!! What man hasn't had homo feelings towards him?!

Academy Awards = the Creme de la Creme of Bull Sh*t

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uh... it's DAVID FRIKKIN BOWIE!!! What man hasn't had homo feelings towards him?!


LOL! So true. XD And Ryuichi is the Japanese David Bowie so there you go, the screen explodes with homoerotic tension.

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Still can't see Yonoi's attraction to Celliers at all, but, Yonoi was an attractive young Officer, and found him quite eye-catching, whether a mix of eye-liner and uniform and the lighting of the locations, unsure.

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In the book Yonoi is fascinated by Celliers' alien look (tall, blond blue-eyed) and his attitude he seems to mistaken for samurai spirit and well, in turn Cellier's seems to have a thing for Yonoi's looks as well. He's described as the most handsome Japanese guy he had ever seen. ^_^ Lawrence says they were like two birds of the same kind admiring each other's beautiful feathers.

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Still can't understand Yonoi's attraction for Jack, unless.....Lawrence in his book, envisaged a much more handsome blond blue-eyed Officer than Bowie in the movie.

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I think the alieness of the blond and blue-eyed is the point and like I said, not only that but also what Yonoi thought he saw in Jack = samurai spirit (which was more likely just Jack's severe disregard for his own life).

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It wasn't Samurai spirit at all and agree your more than probable truth - Jack's disregard for his own Life, that I could see in him.
I used to work in HKG and had a good friend (gay) whose young partner was Japanese, and he seemed to have a particular liking for Westerners, and Brits rather more specifically, on balance.
Interestingly enough, in my years out East, I met a Chinese businessman, educated in UK, who described many Japanese as "the British of the East". I was bemused by this novel description, and not sure back then the Japanese would have agreed with him. He explained himself by saying Brits and Japanese are both island nations, both have a maritime background, both have monarchies, and both were nations of conquerors, and militaristic by nature, generally. He got me thinking, as understood back then why he made the comparisons - both Nations, in fact had a close defence pact until about 1921/22 I believe, which had lasted many years.
(I am unsure the dates so may stand corrected on these years).
Yonoi was a complex character and I admit he fascinated me for many reasons, not only his physical attraction, but his complex personality, something deep inside him, which I felt would have drawn in the intelligent and sensitive. He came over as a lonely man with a panic desire for companionship of another male, a kindred spirit almost. Superbly acted by Ryuichi, and a film I will return to, in fact now that I have read your post, may well do so this week! Thanks!

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I agree with what you said and I am still fascinated by Yonoi (and Ryuichi's performace) for more than 15 years now since I watched the movie for the first time. I remember a couple of reviews I dug out in a library from back then when the movie opened in the theaters and many picked up on that Yonoi's attraction for Celliers, apart from the fact that he is handsome and "alien", is most likely based on a misunderstanding. i.e. Yonoi mistaking Jack's disregard for his own life for samurai spirit and honour he himself seeks so desperately.

On the other hand, while Jack is kind of.. lets call it semi-suicidal since he does not seem to care that much about what happens to himself, he is looking for restoring his honour as well. At least that is what I understood from both the book and the movie. He didn't stand up for his little brother back then but in the end stands up to keep Yonoi from executing the captain, at the expense of his own life. And he uses Yonoi's attraction and affection for him against him by kissing him. I always found it really tragic that Yonoi's feelings seem to be pretty one-sided. He is longing for something and in the end Cellier's uses Yonoi's feelings to destroy them both.

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A very good reading of the film.
I'd say Jack was totally suicidal ; how much went back to that childhood guilt? Good stuff for psychologists in the audiences.
Incidentally, the Captain was not worth the sacrifice - an arrogant, empty kettle!
Am in full agreement with you about Yonoi's feelings, 100% one-sided. It reflects Life all the same, the terrible depressive ache of unrequited love, common since times immemorial, to most ages and societies.
Yonoi longed for love, for companionship, a soul-mate, and to be seen as a worthy success of the samurai, a man of high honour.He wanted to love, and of course to be loved, with total devotion, but of course, that level of love is rare, that special love. Always that was going to destroy him, as it eventually destroys all who seek it. But....sad, selfish, and downright bad of Jack to use Yonoi's feelings to destroy him, with himself. For that, I didn't like Celliers, and no tears when he met his end. As you too said, pure Greek tragedy.

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I just finished watching the film, and this is my take on the relation between the two characters:

The interesting relation between the two, for me, felt a lot like the relation between two brothers who never admit but admire each other at heart. In this case, Yonoi admiring Jack's fearless soldier-like character, and Jack admiring Yonoi's justice when he speaks against the Japanese judge and in his favor in the court.

Yonoi had much admiration for Jack, and Jack understood this (looking back at his own little brother) even though he didn't know why he admired him so much. That's how he knew he might be able to save the prisoners' lives by simply kissing Yonoi on the chicks.

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It's in the History,(real), Yonoi was taken from his village to Mancuria to be one of the "Golden Officers" raised to fight against the USA. Shortly after he left the village the Japanese peasant uprising began(which he missed), he spent his time in Officer training as WWII raged and by the time he qualified, Japan was losing and he was sent to the culturally degrading position of camp commander, therebye missing all the fighting again. In Celliers, he saw "The Warrior" of what he had always dreamt of being. Celliars had led, battled, won, fought, honoured himself and was respected by all soldiers. He was Yonoi's deamon because he was what yanoi wanted to be and this led to a cycle of self loathing in him which is why, through time, his attitude changed from "Love" as a warrior,(samurai), to resentment at the fact this great warrior who he wanted to be, had surrendered. This disgrace made Yanoi fear that he may have disgraced himself if he had ever had the chance to face a battle. It's a whole self loathing, insecurity thing for Yanoi which is triggered by the arrival of Celliers. And it's just wonderfull.

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Best analysis ever !

Why don't you lay there and bleed awhile, before you taste some real pain.

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Are you blind/dead???? Bowie in this film is like a vision from heaven, a fallen angel. Any person with an ounce of life in them would jump him (pardon my French). He's so handsome you don't need the sun to light up the sky (more poetic now :)). When he eats that flower, mmmm....come on, you are not seriously asking this question, are you?????

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The allied prisoners of war were Australians, New Zealander, British and Dutch.

There would have been no shortage of tall blond blue eyed men among them.

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Obviously both characters are gay. Unfortuneately Bowie is painfully miscast with his peroxide head. Don't get me wrong, I love Bowie for his talents, and I'm glad he never denied being 'bi', but he just seems woefully out of place here.

Life sucks, then you're reincarnated

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Hmmm, I thought that was exactely the effect Oshima was aiming for. Bowie looks, in the truest sense of the word, like an alien in those surroundings and the book also mentions that the contrast of blond hair and blue eyes with black hair and dark bown eyes was one of the things that Yonoi was so fascinated by. Actually, Sakamoto looks a bit alien as well in contrast to the other soldiers. A bit like a relict from samurai times (his whole attitude, painted face like the samurais back then when they would go into battle etc.).

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I just meant, he was obviously not a 'military' type as the dialogue indicates. I doubt you'd have found many soldiers with peroxide hair in the 2nd World War, but then this is the British army and they were more open than Americans...

Life sucks, then you're reincarnated

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Aussie Army was it not?

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Celliers is from South Africa and I think it says in the book someone gave him the hat of an executed Aussie soldier.

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