This is the first of three major film adaptation of Junichiro Tanizaki’s famous novel from the 1940s, the second one being the 11959 version directed by Koji Shima, the third one being Kon Ichikawa’s The Makioa Sisters from 1983. Abe’s version stars Hideko Takamine, Hisako Yamane, Yukiko Todoroki and Ranko Hanai in the roles of the sisters. Yukiko Todoroki would also appear in Shima’s version of the film, here in the role of a different sister.Read More »
Tokyo in the late 1950s. Eikichi, a car salesman, is baffled by the new business practices born with the Americanization of society. Near the ruins, he is approached by one of his younger competitors, false charity, who asked him to partner with him to mount insurance fraud. Eikichi will not resist the temptation of easy money …Read More »
Japan’s Last World War Propaganda Film
The last film produced under the national film policy before Japan’s capitulation in August 1945. “Kita no san-nin” stars an impressive cast of Japanese stars such as Setsuko Hara, Hideko Takamine, Susumu Fujita and Takashi Shimura in a last attempt to boost the public’s support for the war. The film is set at a little airport in the North of the country, where three young women are part of the military radiocommunication unit, supporting the local pilots and airport staff. Their joined effort and their private hardships bring these women together, such as the death of Yoshie’s brother who also used to be Sumiko’s fiancé. By showing the young woman’s efforts as pure and good, the film delivers its propaganda message: endure your hardships for the greater cause.
The film was only screened once after it’s relase in August 1945 and then – not very suprisingly – locked away by the American occupation forces. The top cast, the melodramatic take on propaganda and some decent action scenes however render it an interesting part of Japanese film history.
683MB | 1h 09m | 658×462 | avi
https://nitro.download/view/2EC60DDA670FC1B/Kiyoshi_Saeki_-_Kita_no_san-nin_(1945).mkv
https://nitro.download/view/159C8AE5A9A3752/Kiyoshi_Saeki_-_Kita_no_san-nin_(1945).srt
Language:Japanese
Subtitles:English
Masahiro Makino’s attempt at a Busby Berkeley-style musical. Quality is mediocre (much better than the older version we had though), but the film is a true revelation! It combines the elaborate kaleidoscopic choreography of Berkeley musicals with a charming down-to-earth comedy narrative.Read More »