Crazed Fruit (1956) Kurutta kajitsu (original title)

Director:

Kô Nakahira

Writer:

Shintarô Ishihara

Release Date:

12 July 1956 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Spending their summer on an exotic beach, two brothers fall for the same beautiful girl, whose charm and looks may hide more than they they bargained for.

Plot Keywords:

Beach | Extramarital Affair | Tragic Ending | Swimming | Miscegenation

Cast

Masahiko Tsugawa	...	Takishima Haruji
Yûjirô Ishihara	...	Takishima Natsuhisa
Mie Kitahara	...	Eri
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Atsuko Akashi
Yôko Benisawa	...	Kamakura Housekeeper
Harold Conway	...	Eri's husband
Ayuko Fujishiro	...	Mother
Taizô Fukami	...	Father
Keiko Hara
Shigeo Hayashi
Eiko Higashitani	...	Michiko
Shintarô Ishihara
Yoshihisa Kamo
Yoshirô Katô
Bonjin Kawaguchi
Kyû Kitahama
Akiyoshi Kiura
Hiroshi Kondô	...	Harbormaster
Sanpei Mine
Masami Miyaji
Mitsuko Nakamura
Masumi Okada	...	Hirosawa Frank
Zensuke Oomi
Yû Sekida
Kimio Shimazaki
Keiko Shio
Yôko Takeuchi	...	Kamakura's Tenant
Tetsu Terajima
Noriko Watari	...	Eri's Friend
Zenji Yamada	...	Fisherman

Directed by
Kô Nakahira

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Shintarô Ishihara

Produced by
Takiko Mizunoe	....	producer

Original Music by
Masaru Satô
Tôru Takemitsu

Cinematography by
Shigeyoshi Mine

Film Editing by
Masanori Tsujii

Art Direction by
Takashi Matsuyama

Production Management
Masatoshi Kurihashi	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Koreyoshi Kurahara	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Masakazu Kamiya	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Saburô Mio	....	gaffer

Production Companies

• Nikkatsu Film Company
• Nikkatsu

Distributors

• Topaz Film Company (1956) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Criterion Collection, The (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Kurutta kajitsu" - Japan (original title)
"Juvenile Jungle" - International (English title)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) | Singapore:PG | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan

Company:

Nikkatsu Film Company

Trivia:

François Truffaut was so taken with the film that he recommended it to the Cinematheque; this was the first Japanese film awarded that honor.

Goofs:

Continuity: Haruji is loading groceries into a car outside a small grocery stall. Eri rides up on her bike and starts talking to him. Right behind Haruji can be seen a wall clock, the hands of which indicate a time of 4:35. The camera switches to Eri's face for a few seconds, then back to Haru, but now the clock indicates a time of 4:29.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 100 Years of Japanese Cinema (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Sobre las olas (Over the Waves)

A Pioneering Film

This film is about a bunch of young men who live the good life (none have jobs, but they have money) in post-war Japan. The film focuses on two brothers and their mutual affection for a young lady named Eri. I don't blame them for being infatuated with her, she is next to beautiful. First its the younger brother Haruji who is able to woo her. Then the older brother Natsuhisa goes for her, out of both desire and jealousy. Eri turns out to be married to an American who spends very little time with her, so she is able to be involved in these affairs. Although this may seem a bit tame now, it was a scandalous film in 1956. It ushered in a Japanese new wave, or it at least suggested one was imminent. The film becomes better with time, as you focus on the love triangle. The actors and Mie Kitahara, who plays Eri, are all convincing. The DVD has commentary from Donald Richie, who is an authority on Japanese film. Again, risqué for the time, tame now (but so is "Rebel Without A Cause" and thats a great film), it is definitely worth your time.