Crazed Fruit (Kurutta kajitsu)
Directed by Kô Nakahira
Written by Shintarô Ishihara
1956/Japan
Nikkatsu Film Company
First viewing/Netflix rental
[box] “Don’t let two men fall in love with you, girls. It’s not the sort of thing that ends well.” — Ally Carter, Uncommon Criminals[/box]
If this movie did not predate the movement, it could have been the inspiration for the French New Wave. It surely inspired the next generation of Japanese filmmakers.
Natsuhisa and Haruji Takishima are brothers. They are members of the “taiyouzoku” (Sun Tribe), affluent twenty-something slackers that spend most of their time at beach resorts, playing in the water, catching a few rays, and chasing women. The older brother Natsuhisa is a playboy. Haruji is still an idealist and a virgin. Haruji spots a young woman, Eki, at the train station and is immediately taken with her beauty and body.
When the two brothers run into her again, Haruji and Eki begin dating. Haruji takes her to a party where he wins a contest to bring the most beautiful three girls with just one woman. Natsuhisa finds out that Eki is married to a foreigner and, discovering that she actually cares for Haruji, blackmails her into sex. The rest of the film takes the sibling rivalry to its natural conclusion.
This movie seems very modern and almost European. It looks stunning. The scene at the end with the speed boat circling a sail boat is unforgettable. The commentary said it was like Blackboard Jungle for the Japanese, in that it appealed to the aspirations of teenagers. The score is fantastic. I liked this a lot. Recommended.
Trailer
