JPN film Final- Todake no kyōdai

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 69^th 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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