Solntse (2005)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Aleksandr Sokurov

Writers:

Yuri Arabov (writer)
Jeremy Noble (writer)

Release Date:

8 April 2005 (Estonia)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot:

Third part in Aleksandr Sokurov's tetrology, following "Moloch" and "Taurus", focuses on Japanese Emperor Hirohito and Japan's defeat in World War II when he is finally confronted by Gen. Douglas MacArthur who offers him to accept a diplomatic defeat for survival.

Plot Keywords:

Emperor | Defeat | Japanese | Douglas Macarthur | Japan

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Issei Ogata	...	Shouwa-Tennou Hirohito
Robert Dawson	...	General Douglas MacArthur (as Robert Dawson)
Kaori Momoi	...	Empress Kojun
Shirô Sano	...	The chamberlain
Shinmei Tsuji	...	Old servant
Taijiro Tamura	...	Scientist
Georgi Pitskhelauri	...	McArthur's warrant officer
Hiroya Morita	...	Suzuki, Prime Minister
Toshiaki Nishizawa	...	Yonai, Minister of the Navy
Naomasa Musaka	...	Anami, Minister of the War
Yusuke Tozawa	...	Kido
Kojiro Kusanagi	...	Togo, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Tetsuro Tsuno	...	General Umezu
Rokuro Abe	...	General Toyoda
Jun Haichi	...	Abe, Minister of the Interior

Also Known As:

Солнце (Russia)
Il sole (Italy)
Le soleil (France)
The Sun (International: English title)

Runtime:

115 min | Japan:110 min | Hong Kong:110 min | Canada:110 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Russia | Italy | Switzerland | France

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Italy:T | France:U | Netherlands:MG6 | Brazil:Livre | UK:PG

Company:

Nikola Film

Trivia:

Aleksandr Sokurov kept the name of the actor playing the Emperor secret, since it is taboo in Japan to play an Emperor on film. Sokurov was afraid for the safety of the actor, after Nagisa Oshima told him there have been two attempts on his life after he criticized Imperial Japan during WWII.

Quotes:

Shouwa-Tennou Hirohito: Our chances of victory in the war with the west were 50 out of 100. Germany's chances in this war were 100 out of 100.
General Douglas MacArthur: What are you talking about?
Shouwa-Tennou Hirohito: I'm talking about the alliance with Germany.
General Douglas MacArthur: Well, that is all in the past. There is only one unresolved issue left. That is the issue of your fate.

Movie Connections:

Follows Telets (2001)

Soundtrack:

4th & 5th movements from UNACCOMPANIED CELLO SUITE NO.5 C-MINOR, BWV. 1011

Majestic portrayal of the unknown Emperor of Japan of WW2

Director Sokourov's portrayal of the Japanese Emperor during the time of his capitulation to America is spellbinding and possibly unique. Japanese civilization and especially its culture from warriors to sex and love are totally different to western culture. Issei HiroHito who plays the role of the Emperor is majestic in human manner and mannerisms, spanning glimpses of ancient customs of etiquette, the significance of poetry and the new world of science (HiroHito's passion being marine biology). Most significant is his surprising awareness of the fateful decisions he has to take at the end of WW2 in order to bring Japan into the next era. Long lasting peace is his fervent vision. One is surprised to learn that he hardly participatedin the making of the military decisions: unaware of the attack on Pearl Harbour, for example. Luckily for Japan, MacArthur knew something about Japan and its rigid etiquette and sensitive non military culture, having been there before the war. Lukily for Japan, MacArthur decided on getting to know his opponent in person to person meetings with the Emperor before pronouncing judgment on whether the Emperor was guilty of being leader of the war or just an innocent person kept away from the important decisions. The two meetings between MacArthur and HiroHito when HirorHito spoke English (he said he also spoke other languages), were non-political and dealt mostly with personal matters of family and leisure interests. These discussions, subtly developed in the film, convinced MacArthur that HiroHito was innocent and that HiroHito could be a unifying force for a new Japan. (This positive attitude by America through MacArthur can be contrasted by the exact opposite of the Versaille Peace Treaty at the end of WW1 vindictively pushed through by the French and which proved to be, as Woodrow Wilson feared, a cause for further troubles in Europe, finally WW2.) What makes the film outstanding is Issei Ogata's sensitive and convincing portrayal of the Emperor concerned with human interests, who is considered by the Japanese as a God. Secondly, the decorum of the Japanese, so rigid to exclude all compromise. Luckily for the Japanese HiroHito found a way to compromise. Also the film's special color range suggested more undertones than either a documentary or a book. Essential to see to understand.