Tokkan kozô

Yasujiro Ozu's 'A Straightforward Boy' is a short, comic sketch about a bumbling small-time criminal who kidnaps a boy, brings him home, finds the boy incredibly insufferable, and then can't seem to get rid of him. It's slight, it's slightly funny, and it shows off decent technique; if little else. It's certainly not a waste of time, however, and, in its own, quaint way is even kind of entertaining, and lively. Just don't expect too much.

If the film deserves a place in the film history of Yasujiro Ozu, it deserves none in the larger realm of world cinema history. By this time, much better films that deserve your time much more than 'A Straightforward Boy' were being made.

In short, if the film's director wasn't Ozu, there'd be really no reason to watch it. But, because the director is Ozu, things are mildly interesting.

With a fast pace and quick runtime, this short early Ozu comedy is entertaining, if not entirely devoid of dullness in a couple of spots. It is pretty funny, and the humour is surprisingly light despite the film technically focusing on a kidnapping. The plot parallels O. Henry's classic short story "The Ransom of Red Chief", which I really do admire as a piece of humourous fiction particularly because of its ability to use irony to turn a subject that could easily be made into something very very disturbing and, for most people, not particularly accessible or, you know, funny, and twists it so there is almost immediate relief in clever comic hijinks. This movie works with its concept very well for the short time that it lasts, and even shows signs of Ozu's famous visual style, which would go on to influence film for decades to come.

This is an unremarkable adventure until its provenance seeps in. It is extremely well made in all respects, and that's rare enough in that era. And its remarkably western in all its dramatic values, which is quite a shock when you know that Kurosawa was ignored in Japan for being too "Western." Yes, there's some noticeable Kabuki style acting, especially when a comedy sequence is immanent, and when the kidnapper reacts. But it far less pronounced than in nearly any other Japanese film I've seen up to the current period where stylish violence is the basis. But then even the vacant hero's stare is from No.

This is effective, but more than that it is shocking, so western. But this was before the three great Asian wars of the 20th century.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

This is a pretty weak early Yasujiro Ozu film, and I think it showcases the director still had a while to go before he made anything great. I vaguely remember liking a few more of his silent era works better than this, but not by much. And emphasis on "vaguely remember," because they're far from distinct in my mind.

It's about a guy and an accomplice who kidnap a young boy, but it's a comedy. They goof around a bit and then go their separate ways, and there are only a couple of gags that I can imagine ever being funny. So you have to be a bit charitable I guess, but I'm not being charitable and enthusiastic.

Only other thing I can say of note is that the kid dresses up like a samurai, and he has a little prop sword. The samurai were abolished in the 1870s, so it's conceivable that some people who were alive to remember the samurai - in some capacity - lived long enough to see A Straightforward Boy.

It's a bit thinking about the notion of people remembering the Civil War in America possibly living long enough to see early films depict that conflict. I don't know if other people think about stuff like that, but I like doing it.

Takeshi Sakamoto and Tatsuo Saito are two bumbling child kidnappers (Sakamoto carries a butterfly net if that gives you an idea of his skill level) who abduct a boy (Tomio Aoki, Japan's Dennis the Menace) who turns out to be more than they bargained for. Pieces of this slapstick crime caper based on O. Henry's "The Ransom of Red Chief" are missing throughout, but it still plays coherently and has its share of hilarious moments.