L'homme au pousse-pousse

I last saw this film nearly 35 years ago and would like to see an English subtitled DVD one more time before I go. Of all the films that Mifune Toshiro made, this is the one I love the most. Mifune's portrayal of a common man who does not apologize for his lot in life but instead lives it to it's fullest extent is both amusing and inspirational.

There was also a version done by Mikuni Rentaro (Toei Studios) that I have seen. At this point in time, I am willing to watch any of the many remakes of this film.

Hopefully someone with some "juice" will read these comments and act on bringing a good English subtitled version to DVD.

In the turn of the Twentieth Century, the rickshaw driver Matsugoro "Matsu" (Toshirô Mifune) is a happy man and a troublemaker well-known by everyone in his village. One day, Matsu sees an injured boy, Toshio, and brings him home. His mother Yoshiko Yoshioka (Hideko Takamine) asks Matsuo to take the boy to the doctor and then her husband Capt. Kotaro Yoshioka (Hiroshi Akutagawa) asks her to reward Matsu. However the rickshaw man refuses the money and becomes a friend of the family. When Kotaro unexpectedly dies, Matsuo helps Yoshiko to raise her son. Soon he falls in love with her, but he does not dare to open his heart to Yoshiko since they belong to different social classes.

"Muhomatsu no issho", a.k.a. "The Rickshaw Man", is a beautiful, sensitive and heartbreaking movie that begins as a comedy but ends in a melodrama. The story of the impossible love of a poor but good man in a Japan with a rigid social class structure has a very sad ending. The performance of Toshirô Mifune is impressive and the director Hiroshi Inagaki won a Golden Lion in the Venice Filme Festival (1958). I have just surprisingly found that this movie is a remake of the unknown 1943 "Muhomatsu no issho". My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Homem do Riquixá" ("The Rickshaw Man")

Like the other comments, this movie should be available on DVD or VHS. I remember seeing it 40 years ago and its brilliance stands out in my mind as if I saw it yesterday.

Toshiro Mifune plays against type. No samurai warrior he, but a humble Rickshaw man secretly in love with an upper class woman. He shepherds her son throughout the years and the woman, while almost recognizing the Rickshaw Man has helped make her son a man, never comprehends the love Mifune has for her.

A classic woman's film that caused this man to cry. And the fact that it stars Mifune and is directed by a macho director who likes to do period Samurai movies is amazing. Two macho stars making one of the great soaps of all time. And I mean that in the best of ways.

It's just a darn shame that this isn't available on tape or DVD. It is a delightful yarn about the upheaval in Japan at the coming of the 20th Century. Besides being a good tale, it gives the viewer a lot of insight into the metamorphosis of Japanese society away from the samurai code and into the Machine-Age. Funny and thought-provoking. Mifune got my attention with this film. I was a devoted fan after seeing "The Rickshaw Man" (as the posters proclaimed). Another bonus is the very excellent production design. There was no doubt in your mind what era the movie was transporting you to. And, for something shot in the '50s, you wouldn't find any complaints about the cinema-photography. You know, if a producer had half a brain, he/she couldn't go wrong with doing a remake of this film.

Why on earth its so hard to get this film on video? Only an extreme bad English subtitled VHS, a good Chinese subtitle, but no German subtitle or German synchronized. I saw this film 40 years ago in German cinema, and except a Japanese VHS or DVD (see above)there's nothing to receive. This film is so good, that I even can understand the meaning of the Japanese Video. (With the help of my Japanese woman) The tragedy of a Rikshaman is shown in an excellent way, how he helps a young boy, when his father died, and that he cant marry the mother of that boy, because he is from a "lower Kaste". I hope one day I will get a German - or at least an English copy, to understand all the words, they say.