Good Morning (1959) User Reviews

An Ironic Film About Language

[bix171 · 8/10 · 7 September 2003]

It may have the skimpiest of plots--two young brothers take a vow of silence until their parents buy them a television--but Yasujiro Ozu's 1959 picture is anything but slight, taking on the subject of language (ironic, considering the story) with attentiveness and intelligence. In his deliberate, contemplative manner, Ozu presents a wry commentary on the ways even the most innocuous words can harm (gossip) or become the building blocks of a relationship (a budding romance is confirmed by a conversation about the weather); he also notes Japan's growing fascination with the English language (the older boy studies it) and the increasing obsession, now with fourteen years of distance from the war, with American technology--the suburban landscape is peppered with aerial antennas as television begins to permeate the culture. It's subtly beautiful: each shot is perfectly framed (the camera never moves) with an excellent use of depth that highlights exactly what the director wants you to see and giving you plenty of space to focus; it's easy to see how a master of today's Asian cinema such as Wong Kar-Wai would be profoundly influenced by Ozu's languid yet carefully observed filmmaking. A delight; it's also a fine introduction for younger viewers to the magnificence of international cinema.

Light as a.... fart

[GyatsoLa · 9/10 · 3 May 2010]

Ozu's films always balance humour, heartbreak and social comment - in this film the balance is decidedly in favour of humour. Its hard to imagine a slighter story to build a full movie - two little boys who decide not to speak for a few days in a huff over being denied a TV. But Ozu builds a whole world out of this dull little suburb in a Japan just getting on its feet after the war and embracing consumerism as an alternative to..... well, whatever went before.

I think only Ozu could make boring mass produced housing look so utterly gorgeous in full colour, and the minor bickering of the household ladies seem so important. He's helped by a fantastic cast, especially the child actors playing the little boys (oddly enough, there doesn't seem to be any little girls in this suburb). The story has layer up layer of irony (aided by numerous fart jokes) built up upon its slight foundations making an utterly fascinating film. As usual with Ozu, he doesn't lecture, although as always his sympathy is slightly tilted to the somewhat bemused father figures. Even the simple ending, a shot of laundry fluttering on a line, seems somehow laden with meaning. The whole film is a pure delight.

Good Morning (1959)

[SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain · 8/10 · 12 December 2011]

Ozu said he wanted to make a film about people's inability to express the important things, but natter on about unimportant gossip. This all comes out thanks to two boys that really want a TV. They enter into a vow of silence until their TV comes. This silence is misconstrued by the neighbours, who think their mother is angry at them. They begin to gossip amongst themselves and rumors soon start. Meanwhile, the young boys' aunt and teacher are attracted, but fail to act on their emotions. This is a lovely little film, filled with some great humor. Though, I must admit, there was a bit too much focus on the poo/farts jokes. The two boys, especially the youngest, are very cute and make their efforts to get a TV seem less brattish. It's really sweet to see how dedicated the parents are, and even though the kids are kind of mean, they do appreciate the gift in the end. There's no escaping Ozu's look at the clashes between old and new, with the TV looming over all procedures as something that will change life. A little gem, if not one of Ozu's classics.

A Funny and Extremely Serious Comedy

[thallinan · 10/10 · 20 December 2005]

For viewers who have seen only one or two of Ozu's statelier films -- say, "Tokyo Story" or "Equinox Flower" -- "Good Morning" will be a surprise. Two children take a vow of silence to coerce their parents into buying a television set: that's pretty much the whole plot. But what happens as a result affects almost every aspect of life in the nondescript, gossipy, elbow-to-elbow suburb in which the boys' family lives.

This is a comedy, and like all good comedies it's very serious. The boys' act of rebellion is very un-Japanese, and it threatens many of the politely ritualistic social behaviors that mask and deflect the tensions in Japanese society. Whole alliances among the village's women teeter and threaten to topple. The family's authority structure is upended, with the all-powerful father crumbling against the stubborn silence of two little boys.

What wins in the end is love -- or rather (Ozu must have found this particularly funny) love and television. The resolution will probably tear you up (it has brought moisture to the eyes of everyone I've seen it with) but it represents enormous changes in Japanese society -- the collapse of patriarchal authority, the invasion of foreign culture, and especially English-language culture, and the inexorable rise of that great leveler of aesthetics, television. Ozu saw the future, and he wasn't in it.

So naturally, he presents all this in a gentle, even sweet-natured comedy. There may be greater Ozu films, but it's hard to think of one I actually like more than "Good Morning."

Ozu's most accessible film

[anton_d_mannaseh1 · 10/10 · 27 September 2005]

"Good Morning," is one of my favorite's films.

It means a lot to me personally, because -like all of Ozu's work- it demonstrates a brilliant understanding of the complexities of being human. It contains simple wisdom, humour, and kindness; and sadly the whole of cinema history has provided us with very few films which can make such a claim. Ozu celebrates the beauty of middle-class existence, all the while delivering a profound criticism of our tendency to permit "small talk" to dominate conversations. Ultimately though, it is the humour which makes "Good Morning" my favorite's Ozu picture, for it is a very funny movie. Very funny and very satisfying! I can hardly imagine an open-minded person not enjoying it.

Because many North American viewers have a reluctance to watch films more than a few years old, or in languages other than English, Ozu's exposure here is still extremely limited. That is unfortunate because Ozu's films are quite universal.

I feel confident that anyone could appreciate Ozu's genius in this film.

Ozu's comic classic

[poikkeus · 10/10 · 9 November 2010]

After directing his most characteristic and famous later films (Early Morning, Late Afternoon, Tokyo Story) - which addressed the same theme with remarkable differences in tone - GOOD MORNING is a pleasing palate freshener. This family drama is also a witty comedy dealing with the miscommunications that complicate modern life.

This was Ozu's second color film (after Equinox Flower), but the cheerful music and bright colors make for different effects. GOOD MORNING'S "gas" jokes are gentle and clever (the young boys fart on command, a minor character works for the gas company, while a husband farts in one room, and a wife answers, etc.) The film's famous static shots center around a gleaming refinery. One of the film's delights comes from watching the visual and thematic elements weave together, and so effortlessly that it's thrilling to see it develop.

This is my personal favorite Ozu film, if only because it perfectly balances drama and comedy, metaphor and visuals. GOOD MORNING is the kind of movie you can see repeatedly, as there are always new things to discover. It certainly doesn't hurt that it's also a technically refined work, up to Ozu's highest standards.

My favorite Ozu film. Kill your TV! (for Terrance & Phillip's sake.)

[jjjjjjjjjjjjj-4 · 8/10 · 18 October 2006]

Although I appreciate Ozu's film style & quality, I've never been a big fan due to the generally melodramatic themes of his movies.

OHAYO is quite different. The multiple comic themes range from fart jokes & clueless gossiping neighbors to fears of obsolescence in a rapidly changing society.

Particularly prescient is the early awareness of the Baka (idiot) power of television. In Japan it has been common for decades to have TV sets mounted in temples & shrines so that the Kami (spirits) can watch.

We in the U.S. have long been "a nation of 100 million idiots" (and then some) from our obsession with constant entertainment especially in the form of TV. Our children whine & act petulant unless they have their own TV & DVDs in their rooms & even when riding in the car. In many homes the TV is constantly on, regardless of what might be happening either on the boob-tube or outside (such as visitors calling).

Ozu saw it coming almost half a century ago.

Delightfully Charming

[truemythmedia · 7/10 · 7 June 2019]

Ozu has a very distinct style; his frames are always full of leading lines, staggered staging, lots of depth, and layered patterns upon patterns. Many of his shots are symmetrical or close to it, and nigh everything he puts in front of the camera is meant to be there for a certain reason. The way his scenes play out are slow but charming, particularly in "Good Morning". The humor doesn't come from rip-roaring jokes but from unusual coincidences or repeated circumstances. This film isn't so much a comedy as it is a charming, nostalgic glimpse at 1950s Japan. There aren't any life altering circumstances that arise throughout this film, it's just a simple story about generational disparity. If you're at all familiar with Ozu's work, then you'll know this is a theme that he likes to visit frequently. If you're a huge fan of Ozu, Japanese cinema, or quiet, innocent films with a few laughs then this movie is for you. This isn't Ozu's best, by any means, but it's certainly worth the hour and a half it takes to watch it.

The movie that moved me the most

[dylan_cuthbert-1 · 10/10 · 23 October 2005]

Last year NHK (national broadcaster in Japan) were playing 2 Ozu movies a night and I tuned into this by accident.

Maybe because I have lived in Japan for 10 years and was watching it in it's native language and could understand the subtle nuances in the day-to-day conversation, or maybe simply because I related to the children, having grown up in a household where getting things that you actually want was very rare - quite simply, this movie moved me tremendously, the final scene brought tears to my eyes just *remembering* it a week later.

This movie is probably most effective for anybody who grew up in a poor household with parents who tried their best against all odds to keep their children happy.

A 90-minute movie that feels way too long

[jsnyda · 6/10 · 27 February 2022]

I loved certain parts of this film, mainly the two boys taking a vow of silence, but in my opinion other parts involving the adults were just so unnecessary and boring. If they would've just made it a short film involving the 2 boys, my score would be much higher. I tried to show this movie to my roommates, telling them that I heard many great things, but by the end, 2 of them were asleep. The cinematography was beautiful and the overall atmosphere of the movie is lighthearted and fun, but unfortunately there were too many unneeded scenes that make it a boring watch.

Delightful and Critical View of the Behavior of the Japanese Working Class Under the American Influence

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 2 February 2006]

In a small community of workers in Japan, two brothers decide to not speak because they want to force their parents to buy a television.

With this single storyline, Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu exposes a delightful and critical view of the behavior of the Japanese working class under the American influence in the post-WWII. Once again the major concern of Ozu is with the family and human relationship. The situation of the retired people is magnificently pictured through the desperate men looking for a job; the domination of the USA in Japan is represented through the need of private English classes for the two brothers, and the translation of documents to English; superfluous consume of the American society is represented through the importance of the useless television for the younger generation, while their parents are concerned with have some savings for their retirement. The destructive little gossips, the difficulties of communication, and many other problems of relationship are also shown in this little gem. For movie lovers like me, I regret to inform that this is the first DVD of the great director released in Brazil. Only in festivals, and occasionally in cable television, Brazilians have the chance to see the work of this great director. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Bom Dia" ("Good Morning")

"I love you"

[frankde-jong · 7/10 · 4 March 2023]

"Good morning" is an a-typical film for a late Ozu. The generation conflict is between young and adult and not between adult and old.

In this respect Ozu refers back to his early period, for example "I was born .... but" (1932). In "I was born ... but" the children become disappointed in their father, because he has a much humbler job than they first thought. In "Good morning" the children become disappointed in adults in general because they engage in meaningless small talk (the title of the film is an example of this small talk).

Typical Ozu is the attention for the modernization of Japan after the Second World War. In "Good morning" it is cool for the children to talk English, because this is a language their parents are not very familiar with. The youngest child has the habit of ending each conversation with "I love you". This is rather funny because either he is also not very familiar with English or his small talk is even more meaningless than that of the adults.

Cute little boy, not much else

[gbill-74877 · 4/10 · 17 January 2018]

Definitely don't play a drinking game where you have to drink every time someone farts or poops their pants, or you'll be hammered.

I know I'm swimming upstream on this one, but it's hard for me to understand why this film is so popular. The plot is tedious. The humor is juvenile. The cinematography is unimaginative. The best part is easily the little boy, whose cuteness, antics, and English "I love you" are worth a star on their own, but that's about it. The film focuses on the relationship between generations, and seems to say that we need to respect our elders (as the absent-minded grandma points out, does her now-adult daughter think she raised herself?), but at the same time, tolerate our youngsters (as there is some serious defiance and misbehavior by a couple of boys who want their parents to buy them a television). It's a nice thought but clumsily delivered, and between the petty gossip between the wives and other banal subplots, there just isn't that much material here.

I can't understand why director Yasujiro Ozu fell in love with the simple straight-on, low angle for his default camera position for most of his dialog (in this film and others). I get bored with it, rather than feel as if I'm in the scene on a tatami mat. I loved the silent film of his that some say this one is loosely based on - "I Was Born, But..." (1932). That one had the cute antics, but was also intelligent and better directed by the younger Ozu.

Light & Entertaining, Yet Rather Perceptive

[Snow Leopard · 22 November 2004]

While somewhat lighter than most of Ozu's features, this is still a rather perceptive film that is also entertaining to watch. The situation and the characters are all straightforward, yet Ozu's expert eye sees plenty of things worth considering, and each simple story development has a purpose. If the material remains generally lightweight when compared to some of his other movies, it still has the same thoughtful, low-key touch and genuinely human characters.

The young boys drive much of the story in this one, and they are very believable, whether in their petulant responses to parental authority or in their schoolboy fads. Some of the latter can be slightly off-putting at times, but then such things do rather ring true with the nature of boys at that stage of their lives.

The cast is quite large, so that none of the characters gets a lot more screen time than any of the others, yet somehow all of them not only come alive, but get some defining moments. Most of the adult characters are simple, yet easy to care about, and there are several good performances. The grandmother character and the aunt of the two brothers are probably the most interesting of the characters, yet all of them have a purpose.

As is usually the case with Ozu's movies, you can watch it a second time and see additional detail in the characters' relationships and dialogue. This time, the issues involved are not as significant as usual, yet the simple plot provides some insights into the ways that families and neighbors communicate with one another and understand one another. It's probably more entertaining than enlightening, but yet there is some substance as well.

Ohayo To All

[crossbow0106 · 9/10 · 20 December 2008]

This is kind of a re-make of the excellent Ozu film from 1932 "I Was Born, But", but its centered around different values. That essential silent film from Ozu is about two brothers who are bullied and wonder about their status in life. This film is about the two boys wanting a television and their parents refusing. So, after screaming about it and the parents telling them they talk too much, they take on a vow of silence that extends to the neighbors in this suburban town in Japan and even in school. They can only watch TV at a young couple's house with the other neighborhood kids. They just want a television. This Ozu film is a slice of mostly a by gone era, when kids were able to just run around, the neighbors freely visit each other without calling first and values were much simpler. The acting is great, but what do you expect, it has Chisyu Ryu and Haruko Sugimura in it, two of Ozu's best actors. I would have liked to have seen Setsuko Hara as one of the housewives, but I guess she was not available. The acting by the kids, especially the brothers played by Koji Shidara and Masahiko Shimazu, is spot on. I wanted some things growing up and nagged my parents, who hasn't? Its a fun film about wanting something you don't have. Enjoy it, its another highly watchable Ozu film.

Comedy by Ozu - perhaps not up to his best masterpieces , but still very good

[Andy-296 · 9/10 · 3 September 2012]

One of Japanese master Yasujiro Ozu's latter movies (and among his few color films). In a Japanese suburb in the late 1950s, two Japanese tykes (one about 10 years old, the other about 6) decide not to talk to anybody any more until their parents buy them a television set (this film was made in an era where many people in Japan were buying their first TVs).

Shot in his traditional transcendental style, this charming comedy shows a more modern Japan than in other Ozu films of that era (at the same time, the cultural attitudes the movie reflects make it very much a film of the fifties). This was probably one of the first movies made anywhere to deal with life in the suburbs - even if it is set in a very Japanese suburbia (all the houses are very close to each other and its residents constantly interact with each other. There is also constant gossiping around among the housewives). In many ways, Good Morning is a movie about the many changes brought by the modernization and Americanization of Japanese society after World War II, Surprisingly for an Ozu film, this has even a number of gags involving human flatulence.

A triumph for Ozu, even if it is probably not as moving as Tokyo Story, Late Spring or Early Summer. The ensemble of actors certainly helps.

A total delight

[MOscarbradley · 9/10 · 10 January 2019]

As if to show it wasn't just old age that he was adept at conveying, in 1959 Ozu virtually remade his silent "I was born, but ..." in this delightful comedy about children and the petty foibles of their parents and he made it in colour. "Good Morning" may not be one of his masterpieces but it's hugely enjoyable nevertheless with lovely performances from both the children and the adults. The plot is simplicity itself; two young brothers stop speaking as a protest against their parents not buying a television set, leading to all kinds of complications with their grown-up neighbours. It may be slight but it is also a wonderful picture of human behaviour, gorgeously shot in typically Ozu fashion from the ground up as if we are seeing the world from the perspective of the children. Masahiko Shimazu is particularly outstanding as little Isamu, silently turning his nose, and his arms, up at the world around him. Minor then but also unmissable.

Amused and humane portrait of life in a Tokyo suburb.

[tasgal · 9/10 · 16 June 2002]

Especially in the absence of many lively or engrossing movies from Chekhov's works -- "An Unfinished Piece for Mechanical Piano" and "Country Life" are exceptions -- Yasujiro Ozu strikes me as an excellent representative of many of Chekhov's sensibilities.

Dramas are on human scales: about love, relationships, work, day to day travail and pleasure, and desires to accomplish something in life. Concerned for and affectionate towards his characters, Ozu is mercilessly illusionless. People are creatures of their social and economic and educational backgrounds, but not mechanically or simplisticly so. Emotions are pitch-perfect and lucid -- to the audience, if not always to the characters. Conflicts and passions are tempered by characters' realistic self-perceptions and their practicality, with consequently no implausible hysterics.

Ozu's dramatic best, such as "Floating Weeds" or "Late Spring," compares quite well with the best of Chekhov's plays and stories. In moralizing mode, "Tokyo Story," Ozu descends to melodrama, with good characters being very, very sensitive and altruistic, and bad characters crudely selfish (cf. Chekhov's "The Darling," which is even worse, Tolstoy's idiosyncratic enthusiasm notwithstanding). Although this would be uninteresting in isolation, such types do exist in life, and in the context of Ozu's other movies, it is a worthwhile sample of human variety.

Which brings us to "Ohayo." Reasonably categorized as a comedy, it also resembles Chekhov's comedies, with similar strengths and weaknesses. The movie meanders around a couple plots -- children's conniving to get their parents to buy a television, and a suspected case of embezzling. Though the latter is potentially extremely serious, Ozu follows these conflicts and misunderstandings, and detours into his characters' other doings, with a light, unforced, sometimes quizzical amusement and compassion. This is the great value of the movie, and may, in fact, be its intended point. "Ohayo" is at bottom a comedy and not a deeply serious drama.

People rate this a 10?

[mollytinkers · 6/10 · 1 December 2023]

Two pre-teen brothers give everyone the silent treatment unless their parents buy them a TV. That's it. That's all you get.

I loved the cinematography. I also loved that it was shot in color, as it would have been even more seriously boring if it had been shot in black and white. The child actors in the film are adorable.

If you feel this film would have been better served as a short, it's because you're right. There's not enough here to sustain feature length. It's absolutely cutesy, but cutesy doesn't necessarily cut it.

To its credit, this one turns the old adage that children should be seen and not heard on its head. Like so many post-WW2 Japanese films, it explores America's influence on the country's culture. Unfortunately, it took me 60 minutes of running time before I even cared.

A cute departure from the usual Ozu film

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 22 July 2009]

This film is typical of the films of the Japanese director, Ozu, because it has to do with the conflict between traditions and modern life in this country. It also features his old fashioned use of the camera--with the typical placement of the camera just below the actors as well as it remaining stationary during the shots. However, unlike most of his films, this is more of a lite comedy and makes fun of social conventions and neighbors.

The film begins with two simultaneous themes. First, a group of neighbor women are in a women's club and the dues they gave their leader seem to have vanished. While the lady is sure she turned the money in, the other women begin wondering what might have happened with the funds. Second, two boys are very upset because their parents won't buy them a television. And, when the parents are sick of hearing the kids ask, they tell the boys to be quiet. Then, in a form of social protest, the boys refuse to talk any more to anyone--even at school. The only time they talk at all is when they are alone together.

Later, it turns out that the club leader's mother had misplaced the money and everything was okay. BUT, because the boys stopped talking to everyone, the leader of the club thinks their not acknowledging or talking with her is because the family is still mad about the money. So, the rest of the film consists of come misunderstandings that all come about due to the spunky kids.

Overall, this is not a laugh out loud sort of film, but a droll little film that gives insight into life in late 1950s Japan. It's slow and gentle--just like all of Ozu's films but with a sense of satire that makes some points about the hazards of post-war life. Well directed and acted from start to finish.

By the way, note the comment the one lady makes to her mother about Mt. Norayama--it's amazingly brutal and harsh, but also makes a point about alienation and the disintegration of respect of the elderly.

Yasujiro Ozu adapts his own Children Oriented Classic "I Was Born But.." to make another FINE film.

[SAMTHEBESTEST · 7/10 · 20 April 2021]

Ohayo / Good Morning (1959) : Brief Review -

Yasujiro Ozu adapts his own Children Oriented Classic "I Was Born But.." to make another FINE film. Ohayo is loosely based on Ozu's silent classic 'I Was Born But..' (1932) with not little but many major changes in the conflicts. However, the main characters remain same like before as we meet two children who are unhappy with their parents. Ohayo brings more supporting characters as it involves the entire Neighborhood in the narrative and also adds one more character of Aunt in the family and her emerging love-story as well. The film takes place in suburban Tokyo where two boys begin a silence strike to press their parents into buying them a television set. With the pacy runtime of around 95 minutes, Ohayo begins working very soon than expected. I thought it would take almost half of runtime to establish the characters and set the storyline but it happened much before and by the halftime it had already striked with the main idea. It begins on a funny note and believe i was expecting nothing different after seeing 'I Was Born But' but you know the dialogues have a made a big difference here. That humour during conversations was too good and pleasant. The known cast members like Ryu, Sada and Kuga give fine performances as expected but the child artists came as a big surprise. Both the kids look very cute and their performing ability totally surprised me. What this film lacks is emotional touch which could have taken it up. I remember how i was in tears while watching the climax scene of 'I Was Born But' and that impact has stayed with which reduced one bit of Ohayo. Nevertheless, Ozu still makes a Fine film that can be viewed for sure even with good expectations. Not just a TV set but Ohayo brings a lot of happiness too.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Wonderful Movie from a child's eyes

[princebansal1982 · 10/10 · 15 May 2011]

This is another gem from the master filmmaker. Though it is somewhat different from other Ozu films that it is centered around kids rather than the parents and it is a light comedy film rather than a dramatic one, it is still as marvelous as Ozu's Tokyo Story.

Though I have seen movies by other great directors that handle kids really well, Vittoria Di Sica and Satyajit Ray come to mind, they did in a more dramatic fashion. This is much more close to life. It is an ordinary story but told in an extraordinary manner.

It is full of amazing characters, whether it is the knife wielding, muttering grandma, the two kids around which the story revolves, the two salesmen or the English teacher. Rarely have I seen a film in which so many minor characters leave such impressions.

When I think about it I can't find any fault with the movie, so this movies get a 10 from me. Must See for all cinephiles.

Japanese Television

[gavin6942 · 6/10 · 8 April 2016]

Two boys begin a silence strike to press their parents into buying them a television set.

Despite Ozu's reputation in the West as an austere and refined director, "Good Morning" does not shy away from depicting many of the neighborhood boys' flatulence jokes! Television broadcasting in Japan started in 1950, making the country one of the first in the world with an experimental television service. Cable television was introduced to Japan in 1955, in Shibukawa, Gunma Prefecture. This makes the story very timely. While considered a loose remake of Ozu's own earlier work, introducing TV as a part of the plot was very much a part of its time.

Good Morning

[henry8-3 · 5/10 · 6 August 2020]

Charming tale of Japanese families living closely together and how small things impact everyone else eg kids not speaking because their father won't buy them a TV.

It is a tale of small things and needs to be taken in that context ie not a great deal happens. It is well pulled together and frequently brings a smile to the face - reminiscent in style in some ways to Jacques Tati - but that is all