The fabulous films of maverick director Yasuzo Masumura are highly creative works laced with multi themes. Opening this excellent drama a stream of newspaper headlines featuring detail of the Second Sino-Japanese War, the relentless advance of Japanese imperialist policy marches on.
The film setting takes place on the eve of yet another broader conflict the Pacific War. At this turbulent time underdeveloped was Japan's military intelligence. A small group of soldiers have been singled out from the ranks, elite soldiers they are both physically and mentally superior the essential attributes for the testing task ahead. The rigorous training comes at a great personal cost, it is a huge sacrifice to leave former lives and families who must be completely left to the distant past. Devoting themselves body and soul, the close knit group endure a year of training in the art of espionage at the Nakano Spy School. An outstanding cast feature giving great depth of character, the foundation of this absorbing psychological drama, a wonderfully entertaining, thought provoking cinematic story,. archetypal of the master filmmaker Yasuzo Masumura:... Highly Recommended !!
2 Reviews
One of the best espionage films I've seen
Cinephilos14 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I discovered this movie by accident. One doesn't expect a first-class spy thriller from Japan from the mid-1960s, but I discovered a diamond in the rough. I've seen many spy thrillers -- almost all the movies available. At least that's what I thought until I watched this movie, The Spy School.
The story, script, acting, and the production level excel most of the spy movies of the West. I would even say that it is better than Le Carre's The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.
This movie offers a precious insight into the pre-WWII mindset of the Japanese military. The story took place before WWII takes place in Europe. The Japanese considers the UK and the US to be their adversaries in the coming war, and are in desperate need of deciphering the British diplomatic code.
How the private spy school is organized and staffed with the brightest minds from top university graduates is credible. The main character, Jina, and his beautiful fiance, Yukiko, are both attractive and credible. How the spy school would try to create legends for the spy candidates by hiding their whereabouts is also credible.
The movie deals with pre-digital age espionage when enemy codebooks had to be stolen from consulate safes. The script is intelligent and clear and so is the acting. The storyline moves forward with speed unlike many Asian melodramatic movies. This movie is very Western in its method of dealing with the subject matter.
I regret that the movie has largely been forgotten by the contemporary audience. I highly recommend Rikugun Nakano gakko to the modern audience.
The story, script, acting, and the production level excel most of the spy movies of the West. I would even say that it is better than Le Carre's The Spy Who Came in From the Cold.
This movie offers a precious insight into the pre-WWII mindset of the Japanese military. The story took place before WWII takes place in Europe. The Japanese considers the UK and the US to be their adversaries in the coming war, and are in desperate need of deciphering the British diplomatic code.
How the private spy school is organized and staffed with the brightest minds from top university graduates is credible. The main character, Jina, and his beautiful fiance, Yukiko, are both attractive and credible. How the spy school would try to create legends for the spy candidates by hiding their whereabouts is also credible.
The movie deals with pre-digital age espionage when enemy codebooks had to be stolen from consulate safes. The script is intelligent and clear and so is the acting. The storyline moves forward with speed unlike many Asian melodramatic movies. This movie is very Western in its method of dealing with the subject matter.
I regret that the movie has largely been forgotten by the contemporary audience. I highly recommend Rikugun Nakano gakko to the modern audience.
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