THE BROTHERS AND
SISTERS
OF THE TODA FAMILY
Todake no kyōdai
1941
Black and White . 105
minutes
Shochiku Ofuna Studio
Written By
Ozu Yasujiro
Ikeda Tadao
Cinematography
Atsuta Yuharu
Music By
Ito Senji
Cast
Fujino Hideo (Toda
Shintaro)- Deceased father
Katsuragi Ayako (Mrs
Toda)
Yoshikawa Mitsuko
(Chizuru)
Saito Tatsuo
(Shinichiro) eldest son
Miyake Kuniko (Kazuko)-
Shinichiro’s wife
Saburi Shin (Shojiro)-
second son
Tsubouchi Yoshiko
(Ayako)
Takamine Mieko
(Setsuko) youngest- daughter
Kuwano Kayoko (Tokiko)Setsuko’s
friend
Kawamura Sokichi
(Suzuki)
Ida Choko (Kiyo)
Hayama Masao (Ryokichi)
Shinichiro’s son- middle- school
Takagi Mayuko (Mitsuko)
Ryu Chishu (Friend)
Sakamoto Takeshi
(Antique Dealer)
Tani Reiko
(Photographer)
Part
1: Synapsis
Very soon in, I was finding that watching and reviewing
such an old film would be more difficult than I anticipated. I never realized
how much I missed Sensei’s movie info sheets. Just following the story and
trying to figure out everyone’s names in such an old film was a challenge. The
project warranted much research. As I have gathered, this film was among Ozu’s
very first financially successful films. It set the way for many of his other
masterpieces including Tokyo Story. But, in the end it was a labor of love,
because I got to discover a bit more of Ozu’s work.
The
story of “Todake no kyōdai” is a film by Yasujiro Ozu; a man revered as one of
the most influential film makers of the golden age. The film centers on the
well-off Toda family. More specifically, what transpires within the family
after the oldest member; Grandfather Shintaro suffers a heart attack, shortly
after his 69th birthday and family portrait. Soon before, there is an interesting scene
with the two of them, along with their granddaughter and daughter. Shintaro’s wife
makes a comment about her matching red sash to her baby granddaughter’s. She
says “it’s ok to wear such a bright red like her, since I’m baby aged again.”
Shintaro dies alongside his wife later that night, reflecting on their family. His
death unleashes a wave of his company’s debt onto the eldest son, Shinichiro and the rest of the family.
He goes on to to sell off the father’s belongings and properties. The youngest
sister, Setsuko and the now widowed mother move in with him and cause a large
amount of turbulence in the family dynamic.
Meanwhile, the second son of the Toda family; Shojiro finds the
disturbances as a sign to move away from Japan and refresh his life. Shojiro
himself is the black sheep of the family. He is a free spirit, who was late to
the family photograph, as well as the funeral, due to business in Osaka. That
aside, he cares deeply for his family, especially his sister and mother. While
packing, he warns Setsuko that living with Shinichiro and his family would be
difficult, but that it will be alright. Setsuko is emotional devastated that
her fiancé called off the proposal due to her father’s untimely death. Shojiro
cares for his younger sister and promises, “I’ll find you a better man. Someone
with a good build, smart, and financially found, someone pretty good looking;
someone like me.” Similarly, his mother, concerned with her own mortality, fears
that the next time they meet, she will had already passes. He assures her that
she will live a long life and he will see her again soon. Despite all of his kind words, he still entrusts
his family to his brother, and gives the responsibility of tending to their ageing
mother to Setsuko (this situation is reminiscent of “Summer Wars”).
Shinichiro
feels the responsibility of being the eldest, as well as best-off when his
family begins to live with him. He is more or less, civil but his wife Kazuko
is different. She had no desire to have neither Setsuko, nor her m other stay
with them. The two spend most time doing laundry and cleaning. Setsuko is more
or less a third maid to her, and her mother continues to accidently aggravate
her by picking her flowers or doing other things she was not told were
prohibited. The unwelcome attitude is felt by Mrs. Toda, as she refuses to bath
before Kazuko, despite being the eldest in the household. Overall, she tries
her best not to bother her too much, and spend time with her grandson. When Chishu,
a family friend is to visit, she asks Setsuko and her mother to vacate the
house until 7 or 8 that night. While deciding what to do for the exiled day,
Setsuko has to borrow money from her mother, because Kazuko gave them none to
use for the day. . Setsuko later reveals how ashamed she was to request money
from her mother. Mrs. Toda returns to the home and has a heartwarming lunch
with her young grandson Ryokichi. It’s touching how he desires to spend the day
with his grandmother. Also pretty humorous how he rushes her to eat quickly and
go visit her husband’s grave together. In some respects, Mrs. Toda is more
mother to Ryokichi than his mother is. Simultaneously, Setsuko sets out to find
work. You see interesting character development when she discusses with her
friend, Tokiko about getting a job at her company. It is made clear that
Setsuko has led a privileged life up u until this point, far different from
Tokiko. As she tells Setsuko, “my father is an employee, your father was the employer,
and do you believe you have the courage to live as I do?” In this instance, Ozu
gives us a clear distinction between how Shintaro’s death affects his family
which lived with him and his other family. While Shojiro has fled, and
Shinichiro & his wife simply desire to continue their same comfortable
lives; Setsuko and Mrs. Toda are determined to move forward and make the most
of their lives.
Throughout
the film, Setsuko and Mrs. Toda grow closer as mother and daughter. Weather it
is silently making fun of how much of how much Kazuko spends on expensive food,
only to have it go to waste, or reminisce about the late Shintaro while washing
clothes; they find solace with each other. Through the last quarter film,
tensions between the three main women build. Kazuko scolds Mrs. Toda. On one
occasion, she scolds Mrs. Toda for not punishing her grandson for skipping
school and keeping it a secret. Statements like “you should know better how
children are, you’ve raised many of your own, and you should know better, it’s
useless to apologize now” etc. are just a few examples of the lack of respect
or genuine concern Kazuko has for her mother-in law. She even goes as far as to
command Mrs. Toda to stay away from Ryokichi entirely.
Eventually,
Shojiro returns from china. He decides to live in the old summer villa with his
mother and sister. The film dramatically slows down to a soft ending, of the
three living peacefully.
Shot
analysis
This film had introduced the world to the signature Oze
style of filming. The two most notable techiques that I have observed are: Ozu’s
use of long shots, the camera’s straight on position when people speak, and
lingering shots.
Long shots:
Setsuko and Mrs. Toda walk, and contemplate what to do while they are exiled from the house. This shot follows them down the entire street, until they leave frame with no close ups.
the hall in Kazuko's home, this is also one of Ovu's lingering shots.
The final scene of the film. Shojiro runs toward the beach, to avoid meeting Tokiko.
Direct shots:
Kazuko orders Mrs. Toda toleave her son alone.
These shots are interesting, because this Ozu technique relies on the actor almost speaking directly to the audience. Event tho the conversation is between a number of characters, the camera does not shift focus from the main one, and they continue to speak, almost past the camera.
Lingering shots-
These are some of the most contemplative shots in the film. Mainly, because these shots linger for an excess of 10 seconds each and there is no action, movement, nor characters present.
Other scenes i enjoyed
Setsuko suffers in silence, as she hears Kazuok scolding her mother
Mrs. Toda and her granddaughter. They both are wearing a red sash.
Setsuko and her mother make the best of the housework.
Family photo
A drunken Mr. Toda enjoying what will be, his last minutes alive.
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