|
Color
. 118 minutes
Shochiku Ofuna Studio
Written By
Ozu Yasujiro
Noda Kogo
Cinematography
Atsuta Yuharu
Music By
Satio Kojun
Cast
Yamamoto Fujiko (Yukiko)
Saburi Shin (Hirayama Wataru)
Tanaka Kinuyo (Kiyoko)
Arima Ineko (Hirayama Setsuko)
Sata Keiji (Taniguchi Masahiko)
Takahashi Teiji (Kondo Shotaro)
Kuwano Miyuki (Jirayama Hisako)
Ryu Chishu (Mikami Shukichi)
Naniwa Chieko (Sasaki Hatsu)
Watanabe Fumio (Naganuma Ichiro)
Nakamura Nobuo (Kawai Toshihiko)
|
Synopsis
At the wedding reception of an old friend's daughter,
Hirayama congratulates the younger generation
on the freedom to choose their partners. However,
at the post-wedding drinks, he agrees to let his
friends find a suitable match for his daughter
Setsuko. Hirayama intercedes on behalf of two
young women who defy their parents plans for an
arranged marriage, but when Setsuko's boyfriend
makes a surprise call to ask for her hand, he
is furious and initially refused to attend the
ceremony. However, while staying at an inn in
Kyoto, he is persuaded by the owner's daughter
to get on a train to see Setsuko in her new home
in Okayama.
Thoughts from Ozu
This is my first color film, as well as the
first film I cast Yamamoto Fujiko. I decided to
jazz it up as a sparkling comedy. Initially, I
had no inclination to make a color film, but the
company asked me to do so for the sake of Yamamoto.
|
Personal
Thoughts and Comments
Ozu was never one to quickly change with the technology
of art form. His first sound film came in 1936 and
he never made a film in Widescreen format. He also
did not make a color film until 1958 with this film,
Equinox Flower. A late arrival to color, but remarkable
none-the-less, as this is a beautiful film. Ozu
enhances the expression of the film through color
and gives the film his patent simplistic beauty,
richness, and poetry. Ozu features his traditional
views of family and father-daughter generation differences.
Equinox Flower details Japanese rebellious and independent
post war youth generation that went against many
of the common Japanese traditions (such as arranged
marriages). The father doesn't necessarily dislike
the man his daughter wants to marry, or even her
desire to go against tradition and choose, but he
can not accept the fact that she has "defied"
her parents. Ozu leaves the film open and sympathizes
with both the father and daughters feelings. With
a detailed vision of object placement, color, and
composition, Ozu perfectly captures the emotional
tone with a trademark subtle visual expression and
here a blend of lighthearted humor (through the
inconsistency and ironies that make up living).
Repeat viewings of this film leave me feeling that
Equinox Flower is one of Ozu's most complex films.
Every time I see this I get something new from it
and I have a difficult time expressing my thoughts
on the film except to say it is one of Ozu's very
finest masterworks. |
