The Mikado
Movie • 1987
ReportSynopsis
Jonathan Miller set his well-known production of The Mikado, staged for the English National Opera, in a British seaside resort of the 1920s. The result, complete with a chorus of gentlemen of Japan as cartoon-like British peers, emphatically underscores the Englishness of the satire. The occasional non sequiturs, like a bunch of gentry dressed for Ascot and singing in Japanese, are loonily fun, and no more absurd than the fantasyland Japan that Gilbert and Sullivan invented. The time frame, though, seems little more than an excuse for a smart black-and-white production design.
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JesusIsMyZoloft
Ko-Ko sings a song about a bird who drowns himself because of his unrequited love for another bird. However, this is not seen, and is questionable whether it really happened.
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Is a minor sexualized?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
The women in the chorus are "schoolgirls, eighteen and under." One of them is betrothed to be married to her guardian. However, all of them are played by women in at least their 30's.
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Is someone tortured?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
In the song "Let the Punishment Fit the Crime", the Mikado describes several inhumane punishments for various (often minor) offenses.
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Does someone die by suicide?
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Does someone attempt suicide?
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Is there domestic violence?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
Ko-Ko and Yum-Yum are guardian and ward, and are then betrothed to be married.
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Does it have a sad ending?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
It ends "with laughing song and merry dance"
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Are any teeth damaged?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
It's not shown, but the Mikado sings that the punishment for peddling fake medicine is to have all of one's teeth "extracted by terrified amateurs."
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Is there shakey cam?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
There is an onstage hand-held camera, but it's not particularly shaky. It's incorporated into the scene.
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Is someone buried alive?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
It is mentioned, but never actually happens.
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Is someone gaslighted?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
Yum-Yum is uncomfortable being kissed in public, but her guardian assures her it's "quite normal" to which she replies "I know nothing about these things" implying she may have been taught to distrust her own judgment.
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Is there a large age gap?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
A maiden named Yum-Yum is betrothed to a man who is old enough to be (and in fact is) her guardian. He even admits to grooming her, educating her to be his wife, and teaching her to regard him as a wise and good man.
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Does someone say "I'll kill myself"?
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
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JesusIsMyZoloft
Nanki-Poo threatens to kill himself with poison, and then with a pistol, because he cannot live without the woman he loves. Later, Ko-Ko threatens suicide to convince Katisha to marry him.
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Does the abused become the abuser?
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Does a woman get slapped?
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Is the fourth wall broken?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
There are frequent "asides" as in most Gilbert & Sullivan plays. In the film version, these are delivered straight to the camera.
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Is there obscene language/gestures?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
"Oh b****r the flowers that bloom in the spring!"
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Are there usages of the n-word?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
The n-word does appear in the original libretto, on a "list of society offenders who might well be underground." However, the actor singing about this list (Eric Idle) replaces most of the lyrics with his own version, containing no racial slurs.
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Are there "Man in a dress" jokes?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
One of the classes of people on the "little list" of people who should be executed is "Poncey little singers who to entertain us try, by dressing up like women and by singing far too high."
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JesusIsMyZoloft
There is a very brief gag in the first act that could be construed as anti-semitic. Pooh-Bah takes off his hat, revealing a yarmulke while saying he refuses to "grovel" unless he is paid.
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Does a plane crash?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
It's implied Katisha has traveled to Titipu via Airplane, but she lands safely. However, she does "crash" the party when she arrives.
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Are there clowns?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
Not as such, but the makeup on most of the actors is very clown-like. The Mikado also wears stilts and a fat-suit.
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Is there gun violence?
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JesusIsMyZoloft
Nanki-Poo threatens to kill himself with a pistol (a dagger in the original opera), but doesn't actually do so.
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