I have had this film for ages and not watched it. It might have been a year, and I haven’t watched it. I did watch Tokyo Story and enjoyed it, but it was a languidly paced movie and quite long so I waited to watch this, oh what a mistake! I loved this film! This film is wonderful, showing multiple generations living in the suburbs of Japan in the late 1950′s, and showing the interaction between neighbors and the children with their parents, and shot in gorgeous primary colors.

REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS…

This tells the story of working class families in the suburbs of Japan. The interaction between gossipy neighbors, and parent’s and their young children. It starts off more showing many families, but then you realize it centers on one family, and it’s interactions in the neighborhood. A debate has started in the neighborhood about who embexxled the WWive’s Club dues, and much infighting goes on, as well as finger pointing. The main characters are the children Isamu (Shimazu Masahiko) and Minoru (Shidara Koji) who with their friends sneak over to the free wheeling neighbors to watch Sumo on TV, but their parent’s and the parent’s of the neighbors don’t want them to go there. Isamu and Minoru get in a huge fight with their parents first because they won’t buy them a TV, but then it comes down to the adults talking too much, and not talking about anything. Adults only talk about frivolities like the weather and never say anything important, so the 2 brothers take on a vow of silence, not even talking in school or too their friends. Everything thinks it will end quickly, but it doesn’t even at English class with the man that secretly loves their aunt, and in fact will only speak to her about things like the weather, even though she is always bringing him translation work. The kids eventually run off with some food, and end up at the station watching a TV. Their English teacher finds them, and brings them home, treating them to noodles, and when they get home they find their father (who is on the verge of retiring, but is reticent since his neighbor hates it so much) Hayashi Keitaro (Ryu Chishu) has bought them a TV making them happy, and talking again.

The film also has some great funny moments like the children eating pumice so that when you push them on the head they can fart, but one neighborhood kid poops his pants each time he tries and has to run home. The father too has a bit of whimsy too him as when he yells at the children saying he will return the tv, but he is smiling, and the small child Isamu comments on it. And the swinging neighbors with the TV tromp around in their pajamas all day and sing scat as they walk though the alleys.

This film is excellent and very well done, and makes me want to see the (1932) silent film I WAS BORN, OUT. also by Ozu. I highly recommend this excellent and very accessible film by Ozu.