Un merveilleux dimanche

With this warm and uplifting film, the effect Kurosawa achieves is in the simplicity. The story is threadbare. Two lovebirds try to spend a Sunday together in post-war Tokyo and enjoy themselves with only 35 yen in their pockets. Kurosawa never ceases to amaze me because of his incredibly acute comprehension of the visual effects of a story. The simpler the story is, the more it becomes simply a day in their lives. The more it becomes a day in the life, the more upsetting we find the challenges facing them because of the Occupation and the crumbling economy at the time.

It's almost like a lightweight version of The Lost Weekend. There are no debilitating problems like alcoholism or writer's block. There are just obstructions and inconveniences with which the characters can either roll or stew around.

One Wonderful Sunday is a beautiful slice of life from a time that could be many different times in many different places. It's a peaceful movie about the peace that is always there for a given person, their journey being to find it. I have rarely seen a sequence so beautifully crafted on film as the two lovers in the empty, decaying concrete exterior auditorium, where one resolves to create the music they have been struggling to hear. There is hardly a handful of filmmakers living today that would think of such a thing. Kurosawa may have had the clearest, purest understanding of cinema out of any filmmaker.

Not one of my favourites from Akira Kurosawa- hard because he is one of cinema's greatest directors with a lot of great films- but when talking about his most underrated films One Wonderful Sunday would be a strong contender. A few scenes go on for a little too long, other than that there was not really anything that came across as wrong. Admittedly the ending is an odd one but also amusing and affecting, one of those endings that wasn't a problem for me but one also that will work for some and not so much for others. While not the most audacious visually of Kurosawa's films One Wonderful Sunday is still beautifully shot, going for the simple (but not simplistic) approach rather than one that, considering the tone of the film, could fall into overblown-style territory. Kurosawa's direction for so early on in his career directs more than capably, One Wonderful Sunday is different in a way for him- one of his most simple films for sure- but there is clear evidence of knowing how to direct with style and he seems to be very comfortable with it. The music when used fits very well and will please any listener. The writing is amusing and uplifting while also peaceful and poignant, and with the story there is a playful tone in places, a dream-like one in others and then there are a lot of scenes where it is endearingly sweet and has a lot of emotional impact. There is poverty as a theme but it's not used heavy-handedly at all. The acting is very good if not among the greatest performances of a Kurosawa film. Then again, you shouldn't expect that, and that is the same with the film too, even if it isn't one of Kurosawa's finest it does deserve to be judged on its own merits of which One Wonderful Sunday has a great many. Coming back to the acting, Chieko Nakakita is captivating right from her appearance to how she grabs the attention of the viewer even in the simplest of things. Overall, a beautiful film and deserves to be better known and seen much more than it is at the moment. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Far from being one of Kurosawa's best films, it is still a powerful and thoughtful one. He had already developed his filmmaking mastery at this point of time, and it can surely be seen by the way some of the scenes are made.

The film concerns a story of love surrounded by poverty and despair; the main characters of the film have the whole Sunday to go out and be together, the only problem being their shortness of money, as they only had 35 yens to go through the day. Being short of money as they were, there were not many things they could do, so they had to spend them wisely. This mainly leads to frustration from both sides, and so the film becomes depressing most of the time, even though they are really in love with each other and are happy to have a day available for them. Throughout the film they will encounter many obstacles and disheartening experiences, which will push them towards feeling impotent, but they always manage to bring happiness out of all that awful moments, and there is where the magic of this film resides.

It might seem like a simple, clichéd love story we have always been familiar with, and it actually could have just been that, if it was not for the Excellency of Kurosawa's filmmaking skills. He brings magic to many of the main scenes of the film, which definitely increases the experience by showcasing everything in detail. The last scene is really outstanding because of the way it is portrayed; you can actually feel both the pain and happiness they are feeling.

In conclusion, this film is definitely overshadowed by other masterpieces from Kurosawa's filmography, and is definitely not the best from him, but this little film is not to be skipped if you really like the director.

My score: 7.7/10

Akira Kurosawa's movies have a whole range of themes, be they set in contemporary or in historical eras. To name a few: the chasm between the rich and the poor, between the strong and the weak, between the courageous and the cowards, between the powerful and their foot folk, between the honest and the deceitful, between the clever and the idiots, between the sincere and the dishonest, and also, importantly, between war (destruction and loss) and peace (happiness).

In this movie, made just after WW II, he depicts the struggle for life of 'poor lovers', whose dreams were shattered by the war. Japan is in dire straits: no jobs, and, if you have a job, bad salaries; high rents for decent shelters and huge inflation. 'Free markets' are controlled by 'black' merchants and their thugs. There is still an upper class, which looks with contempt on those without money, their former foot folk. The girl remains optimistic, but her lover is deeply depressed.

Akira Kurosawa made some very risky shots on the music of F. Schubert's unfinished symphony. But, he had the mastery to create the perfect mood. Not to be missed and certainly not by A. Kurosawa fans.

This is almost like a play and it is a deceptively simple story. Its about a poor couple who get together on Sundays for a date. Essentially, this film is about one of the dates. Nothing earthshattering happens, pretty much life happens. I was at first not convinced by it, but as the film progressed I began to listen to the characters more, meaning the story took on a deeper meaning. The two lead actors are superb, and one thing I do like is that especially Masako is played by a lady who is not beautiful but sweet and just attractive (if this film was remade in America tomorrow, Beyonce would be the star). Actually, its a shame this film wasn't re-made in the United States about 25 years ago. I could see Meryl Streep really flexing her always considerable acting muscles on a role like this. So, it is a film about a date, but its a film about hopes, disappointments and dreams. It gets better as it goes along. I recommend it, its worth your time.