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The Karate Kidis so much more than a film. It’s an emotional rollercoaster where every character has complexities and every adult has their own demons to deal with. Pat Morita, one of the veteran actors in the film, had his own set of thoughts to express that were better left unspoken.
Before we dive into one of the most emotional scenes of Pat Morita’s inThe Karate Kid,we need to take a look at some historical events during World War II since Morita was… unfortunately, a part of it.
Pat Morita sang a song inThe Karate Kid
Complexity is a part of the human nature. However, very few movies can give such intricate and detailed depths in a short span of time asRalph Macchio’sThe Karate Kiddid.
One of themost heartbreaking scenes in the entire filmis Macchio’s Daniel LaRusso, who finds Mr. Miyagi in a drunken state. He is seen wearing a soldier’s uniform and LaRusso learns that Mr. Miyagi fought for America during the events of World War II.
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However,Pat Morita’sMr. Miyagi is singing a very mournful song. It is slowly revealed that although he fought in World War II, his pregnant wife was taken to an internment camp where she (and their child) couldn’t make it. The song was a mournful melody for which Mr. Miyagi was struggling so much.
“His size and demeanor were so vulnerable”: The Karate Kid Director Fought Studio to Keep 1 Scene Intact in the Movie That Landed Pat Morita an Oscar Nomination
The backstory of the character was also one of the most heartfelt touches that could be given. However, what many people do not know is that this incident was inspired by Pat Morita’s real life!
Pat Morita grew up in a sanitarium!
During World War II when the USA declared war on Japan, around 120,000 people of Japanese descent were forcibly relocated and/or incarcerated due to fears of danger.
According to a report byLooper, Pat Morita spent most of his childhood life in a sanitarium because he was diagnosed with spinal tuberculosis. As fate would have it, Morita was cured by age 11 and that’s when people of Japanese descent had to be taken to these internment camps.
Although he was reunited with his parents, Morita stayed in that camp for two years. The mournful song that Mr. Miyagi sings inThe Karate Kidwas also a melody that Pat Morita picked up during his time at the internment camp.
“No smirk, just a simple smile”: Ralph Macchio Revealed How Pat Morita’s Funeral Led to Cobra Kai When He Met His Karate Kid Co-Star William Zabka
Thus, Mr. Miyagi’s backstory was inspired by real-life events and things that Pat Morita observed during his early years. It didn’t go in vain asThe Karate Kidreceived a rating of 7.3/10 on IMDb and a whopping 89% on Rotten Tomatoes.
With Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita in leading roles,The Karate Kidis available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
Visarg Acharya
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3262
Visarg Acharya is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 3000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past three years and a copywriter at a corporation. Visarg usually covers news and theories on the MCU and the DCU, with an emphasis on Avengers and Superman; Game of Thrones, and more.A Tarantino fan, Visarg, spends his time critiquing various directors’ filmographies and watching them with curiosity. Medieval fantasy like The Lord of the Rings or sci-fi movies like Interstellar, watching the latest horror movies, and listening to Hans Zimmer become his comfort zone. When idle, he can be found reading fantasy novels with a terrible cup of coffee in hand.
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Pat MoritaRalph Macchio
