Madamu to nyobo (1931)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Heinosuke Gosho

Writers:

Akira Fushimi (writer)
Komatsu Kitamura (writer)

Release Date:

1 August 1931 (Japan)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Atsushi Watanabe	...	Playwright
Kinuyo Tanaka	...	Wife of the playwright
Mitsuko Ichimura	...	Playwright daughter
Satoko Date	...	Madame, the neighbour
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shinichi Himori
Yukiko Inoue
Tokuji Kobayashi
Takeshi Sakamoto

Also Known As:

The Neighbor's Wife and Mine

Runtime:

64 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Shochiku Company

Trivia:

This was the first all-sound Japanese film.

Movie Connections:

References Madame X (1929)

An enchanting comedy with music

I saw this film 35 years ago at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and have yearned to re-see it ever since. The plot is simple. A writer with a deadline finds he cannot concentrate in the bustle of the big city, so he takes his wife and baby to a seaside resort, hoping for peace and quiet. However, the baby cries, distracting him, so he quarrels with his young wife. Then mice in the rafters scurry and squeak. The last straw is a wild jazz party next door. He storms over to complain -- and finds a comely young lady doing the Charleston. She soothes him and he happily stays at the party, much to the consternation and jealousy of his wife. (The jazz band plays American tunes of the period.) Comes the dawn and he finishes his manuscript, then takes his wife and baby for a walk on the beautiful seaside boardwalk. They reconcile by singing "My Blue Heaven" -- I think in Japanese.)After 35 years I'm not entirely sure.) A moment of total sweetness and delight.