Farewell to Spring (Sekishunchô)
Directed by Keisuke Kinoshita
Written by Keisuke Kinoshita
1959/Japan
Shochiku Eiga
First viewing/FilmStruck
[box] “The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.” ― Bob Marley[/box]
Kinoshita has a flare for melodrama. This is less melodramatic than just plain sad.
Five school friends reunite in their home town. All have changed. One was crippled in an accident. Two are involved in a love triangle. Another has become a very shady character. One of the boys has an uncle that is dying of lung disease and a broken heart. Their memories of being “White Tigers” together cannot overcome reality.
I associate Kinoshita with buckets of tears from both sexes. In this case, the protagonists are almost entirely dry-eyed. Their dilemmas seem all too real. There is a glimmer of hope at the end for at least some of the boys. As a film, it’s just OK – a little slow for me.
