Genji monogatari (1951)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Kozaburo Yoshimura

Writers:

Shikibu Murasaki (segment)
Kaneto Shindô (writer)

Release Date:

2 November 1951 (Japan)

Plot:

Based on the classic novel by Murasaki Shikibu, written over 1000 years ago. Genji, the son of the emperor...

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Kazuo Hasegawa	...	Hikaru Genji
Michiyo Kogure	...	Fujitsubo
Machiko Kyô	...	Awaji no ue
Nobuko Otowa	...	Murasaki no ue
Mitsuko Mito	...	Aoi no ue
Yuji Hori	...	Yoshinari
Denjirô Ôkôchi	...	Takuma nyudo
Chieko Soma	...	Kiritsubo
Yumiko Hasegawa	...	Oborozukiyo no kimi
Chieko Higashiyama	...	Kobiden
Osamu Takizawa	...	Kiritsubo gomon
Kentaro Honma	...	Kashira
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Yuriko Hanabusa	...	Kiritsubo's mother
Hisako Takihana	...	Nun
Taiji Tonoyama	...	Priest

Also Known As:

The Tale of Genji

Runtime:

Japan:121 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Daiei Studios

Movie Connections:

Version of Shin Genji monogatari (1961)

Japanese Classic.

It's amazing to find no appreciations of this jidai-geki classic which combines the talents of several of the county's major film personalities. Hasegawa and Kyo (who steals the picture lecherously licking the blood from his wounds) feature with Kaneto Shindo on script.

This is no way inferior to the best work of Kurosawa and Mizoguchi and establishes Yoshimura as an underrated front runner in the best period of Japanese film making.

Prince Hasegawa's sex life is not impeded by the jealous opposition of the Mikado's wife. Kyo shows up late, with our hero offing the ninja assassins on her case. Indeed the activities of the court appear to be restricted to amorous intrigue, sword dancing and murder plots. This one has the movies' gentlest rape scene too.

Great score, striking, formal images, dodgy opticals and awful post synch.