Kawaita hana (1964)

A gangster gets released from prison and has to cope with the recent shifts of power between the gangs, while taking care of a thrill-seeking young woman, who got in bad company while gambling.

Director:

Masahiro Shinoda

Writers:

Shintarô Ishihara (based on the novel by), Masaru Baba (screenplay)

Stars:

Ryô Ikebe, Mariko Kaga, Takashi Fujiki

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ryô Ikebe	...	Muraki
Mariko Kaga	...	Saeko
Takashi Fujiki	...	Yoh
Naoki Sugiura	...	Aikawa
Shin'ichirô Mikami	...	Reiji
Isao Sasaki	...	Jiro
Kôji Nakahara	...	Tamaki (as Koji Nakahara)
Chisako Hara	...	Yakuza's Lover
Seiji Miyaguchi	...	Gang leader
Eijirô Tôno	...	Gang Leader
Mikizo Hirata	...	Mizuguchi
Reizaburô Yamamoto
Kyû Sazanka	...	Imai
Hideo Kidokoro
Akio Tanaka	...	Patron

Storyline

Muraki, a hardboiled Yakuza gangster, has just been released from prison after serving a sentence for murder. Revisiting his old gambling haunts, he meets Saeko, a striking young upper-class woman who is out seeking thrills, and whose presence adds spice to the staid masculine underworld rituals. Muraki becomes her mentor while simultaneously coping with the shifts of power that have affected the gangs while he was interred. When he notices a rogue, drug-addicted young punk hanging around the gambling dens, he realizes that Saeko's insatiable lust for intense pleasures may be leading her to self-destruction.

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Plot Keywords:

release from prison | voice over narration | gambling | ex convict | prison | 

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Genres:

Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

1 March 1964 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Fiore secco

Filming Locations:

Tokyo, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bungei Production Ninjin Club

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The release of this film, originally scheduled for 1963, was held up for nearly a year. Explanations for the delay vary. The movie's co-scenarist, Masaru Baba, apparently complained to the studio, Shochiku, that director Masahiro Shinoda had emphasized visual style at the expense of his more detailed script. Another explanation of the delay is that Japanese authorities were made uncomfortable by the movie's scenes of high-stakes (and illegal) gambling using "flower cards," which were filmed in great detail and in a way that they felt glorified this activity.

User Reviews

Great film!

'Pale Flower' is a film that once again adds to the already rich archive of Japanese cinema. Shinoda (writer/director) put together a very impressive film, so smart and tightly constructed. His use of the camera and lighting to create the dark street world he was portraying was beautiful. Although limited by technology of that time, Shinoda was able to use what he had very well. When we think of film noir or gangster style films, a lot of cliché's come to mind, murder, loyalty, power, drugs, sex, etc. Shinoda takes all of these and wraps it into a detailed story that becomes representative of Japan and the political backdrop of the Cold War. Of course, the film was banned by the censor board. Filmmakers like Shinoda were a part of the 'New Wave' in Japan and 'Pale Flower' remains, like so many great films, timeless. Anyone who appreciates Japanese cinema must see this film!