Directed by Mikio Naruse
Written by Nobuo Yamada
1967/Japan
Toho Company
First viewing/Criterion Channel
[box] “my feet will want to walk to where you are sleeping/ but/ I shall go on living.” ― Pablo Neruda[/box]
A beautiful tearjerker that earns every one of its tears.
Yumiko and her husband have an idyllic life. They are madly in love and newly pregnant. He works for the Trade Ministry and has just received a prestigious appointment to the embassy in Washington, DC.
Suddenly he is killed in a car accident. Although he is entirely innocent, driver Shiro Mishima is determined to pay the widow monthly as amends. Yumiko can hardly stand the sight of him. Since he is an employee of a company that has close ties to the Ministry he is exiled from Tokyo to the provinces for a few years. His new post is near the widow’s home town.
Poor Yumiko is stripped of her child, her married name and her widow’s pension by her husband’s greedy parents. Everyone tries to exploit her in some way. As the years pass, Mishima gradually falls in love with her. She is determined to cut ties with the past, including Mishima, to get past her grief. I won’t reveal any more of the plot.
I can’t even count the number of times I teared up. This is a bit of a misery sandwich but is so downright sincere and sensitively made that I believed every minute. It is also gorgeous to look at. Warmly recommended.
This was Mikio Naruse’s final film in a career that spanned 47 years in the industry. He added a lot of beauty to this world. Farewell, sensei.
dTrailer (no subtitles)
OK, bumped this up the list and watched last night and I’m sorry but I have to disagree. The plot device is interesting and the first third or so is very well done but once the change is on the horizon It simply became awkward.
It was like 2 different movies were mashed together, one good, one forced.
From looking around, there is a lot of love for this one but I just didn’t ‘get it’.
Well you can’t win ’em all! I can’t remember this well enough to argue with you. Not the mark of a true classic.
A true (argument) classic – sorry, just could not resist
I watched this soon after I woke up. You have made my entire day! I really laughed. Thanks!
In my UK-centric world the Python team defines “classic” – probably ruined my appreciation of humour for life heh heh………glad you liked it.
Keep ‘em coming!
I completly was convinced you’d reviewed (Monty Python’s) Life of Brian
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079470/
but now I see it was 1979 and you stopped at 1978 (and a search failed to find a review)….now before I gush on, please tell me….you do know of Monty Python (and that movie) don’t you? Because if not, you are ignorant of the funniest group of performers that God ever put on earth!
Ah it was Holy Grail (1975) and from your notes there you do know of Monty Python….no disrepect intended in the previous post by the way
I’m still chuckling at the thought of that argument sketch!
“Keep ‘em coming!” not quite what you meant (as in it’s a movie, however I guarantee you won’t have seen it and IMO would include personal interest) but I need to confirm that b?????@y-etc (obfiscated on purpose) is still valid. The movie can be named here – Chieko-sho, extra details to be sent. It is 1967 by the way.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061471/
Looks good. One for the longest list.