The Big Wave (1961)

Yukio, a farm boy, and Toru, a fisherboy, live in a small Japanese village that is periodically threatened by a volcano on one side and tidal waves on the other. Yukio's younger sister ... See full summary »

Director:

Tad Danielewski

Writers:

Pearl S. Buck (novel), Pearl S. Buck (screenplay),

Stars:

Sessue Hayakawa, Jûzô Itami, Mickey Curtis

Cast

Cast overview:
Sessue Hayakawa	...	The Old Man
Jûzô Itami	...	Toru (as Ichizo Atami)
Mickey Curtis	...	Yukio
Kôji Shitara	...	Toru as a Boy
Hiroyuki Ôta	...	Yukio as a Boy
Rumiko Sasa	...	Setsu
Judy Ongg	...	Setsu as a Girl
Reiko Higa	...	Haruko
Sachiko Atami	...	Haruko as a Girl
Heihachirô Ôkawa	...	Yukio's Father
Chieko Murata	...	Yukio's Mother
Tetsu Nakamura	...	Toru's Father
Frank Tokunaga	...	Toru's Grandfather
Shigeru Nihonmatsu	...	Old Servant
Noriko Sengoku	...	Toru's Mother

Storyline

Yukio, a farm boy, and Toru, a fisherboy, live in a small Japanese village that is periodically threatened by a volcano on one side and tidal waves on the other. Yukio's younger sister Setsu follows then and dreams of becoming a pearl diver. Toru is preparing to go fishing with his father when a bell tolls and a danger flag is hung high on the hill behind the village to warn of an impending tidal wave by the village patriarch, known as Old Gentleman. The fishermen consult the other village elders and decide that Old Gentleman is wrong and they will go on with their work. Old Gentleman comes down from his home and begs them to send their children to his hilltop home for their safety, but the refuse. That night, after Toru has gone to the home of his friend Yukio, a tidal wave destroys the village, leaving only a few survivors. Old Gentleman offers to take the orphaned Toru as his son but Toru, despite knowing he will live in wealth, decides to stay on with Yukio's poor family. Ten ...

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 April 1961 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Stratton Productions Inc., Toho Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

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