Double Suicide (1969)

A doomed love between a paper merchant and a courtesan.

Director:

Masahiro Shinoda

Writers:

Monzaemon Chikamatsu (play), Masahiro Shinoda

Stars:

Kichiemon Nakamura, Shima Iwashita, Shizue Kawarazaki

7 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kichiemon Nakamura	...	Jihei
Shima Iwashita	...	Koharu / Osan
Shizue Kawarazaki	...	Osan's Mother
Tokie Hidari	...	Osugi
Sumiko Hidaka	...	Proprietress
Yûsuke Takita	...	Magoemon
Hôsei Komatsu	...	Tahei
Takashi Sue	...	Store Owner
Masashi Makita	...	Guest
Makoto Akatsuka	...	Sangorô
Unko Uehara	...	Otama
Shinji Tsuchiya	...	Kantarô
Kaori Tozawa	...	Osue
Yoshi Katô	...	Gosaemon
Kamatari Fujiwara	...	Denbei

Storyline

During feudal times in Osaka, Koharu, a courtesan, and Jihei, a married paper merchant, fall in love, they having met in he being one of her regular customers. Their passion for each other is all consuming, especially for Kihei who leaves the running of the paper store in the hands of his wife, Osan. At the beginning of each month - twenty-nine months thus far - Jihei writes a vow to Koharu to free her from her life so that they can be together. However, he doesn't have the money to pay her ransom, he spending whatever money he has in paying for her services. In the meantime, anyone can pay her ransom, she who would be his possession. Jihei and Koharu have vowed to commit suicide together so that they can be together for eternity if they cannot be together on Earth. Jihei and Koharu's journey is affected by several people: his brother, Magoemon, and Osan's parents, who want Jihei to to do right by Osan as her husband and father to their two young children; wealthy Tahei, who believes ...

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Plot Keywords:

director cameo | writer cameo | whore | courtesan | rich merchant | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

11 February 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

Double Suicide

Company Credits

Production Co:

Art Theatre Guild (ATG), Hyôgen-sha

Technical Specs

Runtime:

142 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #104.

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Connections

Referenced in Century of Cinema: 100 Years of Japanese Cinema (1995)

User Reviews

not a frame that is not perfect

Fine film. I usually prefer non historic Japanese films but this is really very good and the tendency to being ponderous is not here at all. Watched this after seeing the wonderful Pale Flower, directed by Masahiro Shinoda a few years before this and was not disappointed. The film opens with a discussion as to how the suicide sequence is to be shot and we see traditional Kabuki puppets, all during the opening credits. Historic setting and very traditional goings on, not good news, I thought but how wrong. Once the film begins we are in the territory of live action only, although there is the sensational element of puppetry in the form of black cloaked 'puppeteers' forever hovering around, attending to the main protagonists and changing scenery about. There is not a frame that is not perfect and despite the plot being remarkably slender, this is riveting and all involving.