raised to mark the location of the consulate. His cooperation noted, after several months, Harris is eventually invited to dine with the Governor, a dinner following which Tamura sends a geisha named Okichi (Eiko Ando) to take care of Harris' needs. The relationship between Harris and Okichi grows closer and more intimate, and she helps him understand Japanese culture. Harris helps rid the village of a cholera epidemic and out of this comes Harris' opportunity to go to Edo, where he must then convince the Shogunate to open the country, while facing his greatest crisis. Cast John Wayne as Townsend Harris Eiko Ando as Okichi Sam Jaffe as Henry Heusken Sō Yamamura as Governor Tamura Production Director Anthony Mann initially owned the story but he sold the rights to 20th Century Fox after being unable to sign a big star to play the lead. Exteriors were shot on location in Japan at Kyoto and the Tōdai-ji shrine in Nara. Interiors and additional scenes were completed at Toho Studios in Tokyo and 20th Century Fox Studios, Los Angeles. During filming, Wayne and director John Huston did not get along; in one altercation, Wayne throttled and punched Huston on set. The film was heavily re-edited by 20th Century Fox before release. Director John Huston denounced this version and even wanted to have his name removed from the credits. Huston had wanted to make a particularly Japanese film in terms of photography, pacing, color and narration but according to him only a few edits – representing his vision – were left intact in the theatrical version. Reception The film performed disappointingly at the box office. Despite Huston's anger at studio interference, the New York Times Bosley Crowther liked the film's cinematography calling it a "whole picture out of patience and pageantry". Blu-ray.com's Casey Broadwater observed this about the film: "Wayne's restrained and uncomfortable "other-ness" as a gaijin in Japan is essential to the story. With his cowboy swagger and deep commanding drawl, Wayne typifies every Japanese stereotype about brash, take-charge Americans, and Barbarians specific frisson comes from seeing his character stumped and stymied by a culture that values group-think over individualism". Historical background The film is based on American diplomat Townsend Harris and his time in Japan during the final years of the Tokugawa shogunate. President Franklin Pierce named Harris the first Consul General to the Empire of Japan in July 1856. He