An impressively shot star vehicle made in 1962, "Affair at Akitsu" is a lavish soap opera, with the issue of changing modes and mores in post-war Japan as its subtext. Stark beauty and thesping ability of Marika Okada, later to marry the director, is pic's raison d'etre.
Tale spans 1945-62 period, commencing with a frail student, Kawamoto, stopping at a health spa located at Akitsu near the end of the war. He is befriended and nursed back to health by a lovely teenager, Shinko. News of Japan's surrender brings them to tears, and after an incongruously hopeful segment of their looking forward to a new life together, leads enter into a suicide pact. Their unsuccessful attempt at carrying out the deed is directed with delightful black humor, but unfortunately renders the ensuing hour of footage as anticlimactic.
Director Yoshishige Yoshida proceeds to run the soap opera changes, with Kawamoto leaving town, marrying and becoming successful, but iteratively returning to Akitsu to commune with this first love. Shinko's suicide 17 years later is a decidedly Japanese variant of the Hollywood "woman's film" genre, and really played to the hilt.
Yoshida is a master of widescreen composition, often dwarfing his actors and story with stunning shots.
"Akitsu" is unfortunately sabotaged by the sentimental musical score by Hikaru Hayashi, in which a couple of corny themes are repeated dozens of times. Tech credits are all excellent.
My review was written in November 1980 after a screening at NYC's Japan House.
Tale spans 1945-62 period, commencing with a frail student, Kawamoto, stopping at a health spa located at Akitsu near the end of the war. He is befriended and nursed back to health by a lovely teenager, Shinko. News of Japan's surrender brings them to tears, and after an incongruously hopeful segment of their looking forward to a new life together, leads enter into a suicide pact. Their unsuccessful attempt at carrying out the deed is directed with delightful black humor, but unfortunately renders the ensuing hour of footage as anticlimactic.
Director Yoshishige Yoshida proceeds to run the soap opera changes, with Kawamoto leaving town, marrying and becoming successful, but iteratively returning to Akitsu to commune with this first love. Shinko's suicide 17 years later is a decidedly Japanese variant of the Hollywood "woman's film" genre, and really played to the hilt.
Yoshida is a master of widescreen composition, often dwarfing his actors and story with stunning shots.
"Akitsu" is unfortunately sabotaged by the sentimental musical score by Hikaru Hayashi, in which a couple of corny themes are repeated dozens of times. Tech credits are all excellent.
My review was written in November 1980 after a screening at NYC's Japan House.