Otoko wa tsurai yo (1969)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Yôji Yamada

Writers:

Yôji Yamada (written by) &
Azuma Morisaki (written by) ...

Release Date:

18 July 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy | Romance

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Kiyoshi Atsumi	...	Torajirô Kuruma
Chieko Baisho	...	Sakura (as Chieko Baishô)
Sachiko Mitsumoto	...	Fuyuko
Chishu Ryu	...	Gozensama (as Chishû Ryû)
Takashi Shimura	...	Hyôichirô Suwa
Shin Morikawa	...	Ryûzô
Gin Maeda	...	Hiroshi Suwa
Daisaku Akino	...	Noboru Kawamata (as Masaaki Tsusaka)
Gajiro Satoh	...	Genkichi (as Gajirô Satô)
Keiroku Seki	...	Shikaisha
Chieko Misaki	...	Tsune Kuruma
Hisao Dazai	...	Umetarô Katsura
Shunsuke Ômi	...	Buchô
Taichirô Hirokawa	...	Michio
Fusataro Ishijima	...	Michio's Father (as Fusatarô Ishijima)

Also Known As:

Am I Trying (USA)
It's Tough Being a Man (Japan: English title)
Tora San Our Lovable Tramp (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Shibamata, Tokyo, Japan

Company:

Shochiku Kinema Kenkyû-jo

Movie Connections:

Followed by Otoko wa tsurai yo: Torajiro yumemakura (1972)

Soundtrack:

Kenka Tatsu

Where It Began

This first film in what is purported to be the longest run series in film history tells the tale of Tora-San, an itinerant peddler who is thrown out of his father's house twenty years before but reconnects with his aunt, uncle and sister Sakura (the very pretty and sweet Chieko Baisho). Tora wreaks some havoc in their lives, like getting drunk and silly at a marriage meeting and ruining Sakura's chance to marry someone, as well as just being a real pain to those around him. There is a sentimental side to him also, and the best way to describe him is that he grows on you. This film features smallish roles by two of the greatest actors in film history, Chishu Ryu as a priest and Takashi Shimura, as Sakura's prospective father in law. They light up the screen when they're in the film. Kind of a film about a bygone era in Japan, as itinerant peddlers are all but gone, this film reminds me somewhat of the two "Always Sunset On Third Street" films, as they are also about a bygone era. Crazy, funny & sentimental, this film delivers. I have not seen any of the rest (so far, anyway) of the films in this series, but I am intrigued. Atsumi Kiyoshi, who plays Tora, is good in this. I recommend it, its a very good film.