The Masseurs and a Woman (1938)

Two blind masseurs travel to a mountain retreat. One of them falls for a visiting lady from Tokyo and investigates a series of thefts.

Director:

Hiroshi Shimizu

Writer:

Hiroshi Shimizu

Stars:

Shotaro Akagi, Shin'ichi Himori, Ayuko Hirano

Cast

Credited cast:
Shotaro Akagi
Shin'ichi Himori	...	Fukuinchi Misawa
Ayuko Hirano	...	Hiking girl
Toru Hirose	...	Hiking student
Zentaro Iijima	...	Kamekichi
Akio Isono	...	Hiking student
Hideko Kasuga	...	Okiku
Toshiaki Konoe	...	Hiking student
Chieko Kyotani	...	Oaki (as Chieko Kyoya)
Fusako Maki	...	Hiking girl
Mitsuko Miura	...	Hiking girl
Hiroshi Mizuhara	...	Hiking student
Masako Nakaido	...	Hiking girl
Ren Niki	...	Head clerk
Tsuneo Ohsugi	...	Kitaro (as Tsuneo Osugi)

Storyline

Two blind masseurs Toku and Fuku walk to a mountain retreat to work for the season. The film follows Toku and his interactions with his blind colleagues and various guests from the inns. Toku is attracted to a mysterious single woman, whom he can tell is from Tokyo by her scent. She is intrigued by him, but also makes friends with another visitor from Tokyo who is traveling with his young nephew. The bored nephew, looking for amusement, meets with the woman from Tokyo, as well as with Toku. A rash of thefts at the inns soon after they arrive causes Toku suspect one of these guests.

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Plot Keywords:

travel | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Connections

Remade as My Darling of the Mountains (2008)

User Reviews

One of the sweetest Japanese movie in the '30

Two blind masseurs, like birds, go to the north on Spring and to the South on Fall. They arrive in a small village on the mountains, where they meet a woman from Tokyo (Edokko) and one of them fall in love with the lady. The masseur is blind, but he understand that she has a mysterious past and he can't understand why she is there. At the Inn there is also a man from Tokyo with a boy about 7 years old, that spend fishing most of the day. After a couple of days the two Edokko feel comfortable to spend together most of the day. This is one of the best Shimuzu Hiroshi's movie and the characters are sweeter here than Ozu and Yamanka's movies. The initial and final sequences are very suggestive: you feel like you are in the movie! greatest experience.

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

7 July 1938 (Japan)

Also Known As:

The Masseurs and a Woman

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shochiku

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1