Minato no Nihonmusume

The Japanese film industry during the 1930s was quite different from Hollywood. While the American movie producers had switched over to sound by about 1929 (afer the first talking picture in 1927), Japan and much of the world continued making silents for some time. In fact, up until almost 1940, Japanese films were still silents. In addition, some old film techniques (such as the stationary camera used by Ozu up until the 1960s) lingered. I mention all this because I understand the context for 1930s Japanese films and have watched about a dozen or two. However, even compared to these other films, "Minato No Nihon Musume" is a very, very old fashioned film...and I don't see the genius that some other reviewers have mentioned. Technically speaking, the film was very badly dated when it debuted. The biggest problem is the incredibly detached style of storytelling (and yes, I know that this was not all that unusual for Japanese films)--because of this it loses so much of its emotional impact and is dull when the film had a story that NEVER should have been dull. Instead of telling the story in a traditional narrative, the story is laid out in vignettes that are framed with intertitle cards that describe what is about to occur...which was great for 1910....but certainly not the best or most interesting ways to tell any story.

As for the story, it's all about a woman who is used by a jerk named 'Henry' and the consequences (both immediate and long-term). I cannot complain too much that the 'foreigner' Henry clearly is NOT a westerner but a Japanese man. This is because at the same time, Hollywood was featuring the Swede, Warner Oland, as Charlie Chan! In fact, having westerners play Asians was the norm for decades...so Henry's poor casting can be understood in its context. Plus, perhaps no western actors were even readily available for the part. Regardless, the story idea isn't bad...but is just not executed in a way that makes for interesting viewing.

Hiroshi Shimizu is not a name that springs instantly to mind when one thinks of Japanese film directors. Although Shimizu was a contemporary of Yasujiro Ozu, both having worked at Shochiku Studios, it is Ozu whose body of work is the better known. While not for one moment does this take away from Ozu's reputation as a great film director, it does not mean that Shimizu was not also a director of equal stature. Ozu said: "I can't shoot films like Shimizu." And the great Kenji Mizoguchi once said: "People like me and Ozu get films made by hard work, but Shimizu is a genius" Shimizu made some sublime films in a career that spanned the years 1924 to 1959. A four-disc box set of Shimizu's films is now available. Films included are "Mr. Thank You", "Ornamental Hairpin", "The Masseurs and a Woman" and "Japanese Girls at The Harbour", all with English subtitles. A few days ago I watched Shimizu's 1933 silent film, "Japanese Girls at The Harbour." Set in the port city of Yokohama, two girls, Sunako and Dora who attend a Christian school, pledge to be friends. But when a youth named Henry appears on his motorcycle and offers to take Sunako for a ride, we know that this friendship won't last and that the lives of both girls will change in ways they are barely able to comprehend, and can do little to change. "Japanese Girls at The Harbour." is a microcosm, a snapshot if you will, of Japanese society of the early 1930s, at a time when the old way of life in Japan was about to crumble before the more tempting, faster-paced life of the West. It is clear from this collection that Hiroshi Shimizu was the equal of, if not as good as, Japanese directors like Ozu and Mizoguchi in holding up a bright shining mirror to the minutiae of Japanese life.

...this time from director Hiroshi Shimizu. Sunako (Michiko Oikawa) is a teenage girl in the port city of Yokohama. When she discovers that her older boyfriend is seeing another woman, Sunako commits a terrible act and leaves the city. After years of drifting about, she returns to Yokohama as a bar hostess and reconnects with her old boyfriend, who has married Sunako's former best friend in the interim. Heartbreak naturally ensues.

Director Shimizu indulges in a number of camera tricks, like rapid tracking shots, fast-edit zoom ins, and having characters dissolve likes ghosts when leaving a scene. While many of these gimmicks are eye-catching, they don't do anything to add to the meager, routine plot. A distinct lack of characterization in the script makes discerning who's who a chore for the film's first half hour, which is bad in a one hour movie. The coastal scenery and some decent performances from Shochiku regulars save this from being a loss, though. (

Underwhelming character development. Sometimes confusing, as characters are introduced almost haphazardly. Good example for how ellipses are used ineffectively; causing more confusion than necessary. It seems that intertitles were used when not necessary to tell rather than show ("Read her diary to find out"), where other times where it actually would have cleared some things up for the audience (huge gaps in time with no explanation, such as why suddenly Dora is now married and pregnant with Henry), Shimizu inexplicably chooses not to show or tell anything.

Nevertheless, gorgeously captured with seaside landscapes and creative cinematography and shot choices. The piano soundtrack had mixed results, at times an unwelcome distraction, however melodious on its own. Overall decent story, but for the aforementioned reasons, the execution was lacking.

Director Shimizu's later works are far superior. Audience members should give those a chance before this one, lest they be left with an impression unbefitting to this highly talented and prolific master.

I just watched this film and it is brilliant. The story is about two schoolgirls, Sunako (an amazing Michiko Oikawa) and Dora (Yukiko Inoue) who both like Henry, who drives a motorcycle. He spends time with Sunako, but then its found out Henry has been spending time with the somewhat vampish Yoko. Sunako confronts him, then her and violence is the result. Sunako flees and becomes a prostitute, while Dora marries Henry. Sunako comes back to Yokohama and meets her former friends Dora and Henry, and wants to get out of the world she has made for herself. This film is completely silent, no music track. It is available with English subtitles, being part of a recent domestic release by Criterion films. This film has elements of lust, love, betrayal, hopelessness and regret. It lasts almost 72 minutes, but for me it could have gone on for another forty minutes and I wouldn't have minded. The relationships of the characters are simply told and rather than many fade outs which the director Mr. Shimizu used in "Masseurs And The Woman" he favors tight editing here, with little camera tricks. The story may be simply told but it is fascinating. Michiko Oikawa is so good as Sunako, her expressions are perfect and how you feel about her changes often. I don't find it difficult to follow at all. It has elements of Kenji Mizoguchi's style, but it really is a great film. Buy the box set, even for just this film, though I liked the others in the set. In my opinion, this is the best one in the set and with so many films from Japan criminally lost, this is a grateful find. It really moved me.