There Was a Father (1942)
Being a big fan of older Japanese Cinema Yasujirō Ozu has been a standout director. With his unremarkable and casual stories highlighting real emotion and exploring humanity, films like Tokyo Story and Good Morning have hit me and really impressed me so to get the chance to see another film from his filmography had me excited and There Was a Father seemed like the perfect fit for Ozu's style. Following a troubled relationship between a father and son throughout their lives as the father only wants the best for his son even if it ruins the relationship between them was the perfect blend of real emotion and heartbreaking situation that Ozu could really work with and use to hit the audience hard. It is no surprise then that I really loved this movie adding another classic to the filmography of Yasujirō Ozu which I need to explore deeper.
And first, as I said this seemed like the perfect fit for Yasujirō Ozu's style and he really shines in this film even beyond the other films of his that I have seen. The thing that is most remarkable to me about his films is how unremarkable they are. Unlike some other great directors who have such a strong touch on their films, there is something about Yasujirō Ozu films that feel so real and natural. You feel like a fly on the wall and instead of creating fictional huge moments of emotions they seek out the melodramatic layered emotions which are the ones that hit the hardest. This is amplified by the unique cinematography which shoots the situations as natural feeling as possible, it shoots these sets and moments as if the camera is just another person there observing what is happening with wide shots showing the whole room instead of always focusing on one actor in a close up and low angles which make you feel like you are sitting on the floor with the characters. I also love how in the story the emotions really are not the focus, it's rare to find the characters talking about their emotions or letting them get in the way of the life they are living. Again this feels real and it all comes together to create a really impactful and touching experience.
The acting in this movie also really works wonders. Chishû Ryû especially as the father is just heartbreaking. There is so much to his character, he loves his son but wants him to be the best he can be and is fueled by his own embarrassment and sadness with who he is but also wants to appear strong and prideful to his son. There is so much here and it comes out so organically and naturally, it is amazing to see this level of craft come from all sides of the film including the actors. Haruhiko Tsuda who plays the young version of his son is also really great as a child actor. He also has a lot of layers to him which is a lot to ask from a child actor but he is incredible here. If I had to pick a negative here it would be that with this idea of following these two through many years it does have to catch the audience up each time there is a time jump. Sometimes it's not obvious that years have past and it does feel a bit uneven and unnatural as it is forced to work these explanations into the dialogue but this is minor.
Every time I leave a Yasujirō Ozu I leave more impressed than before. He is a master director and every one of his films hits me in a different way leaving me floored. He is one of my favorite directors of all time and I need to see more. This is a near masterpiece that everyone should see, though that is something you can say about plenty of Ozu's films. If you have not seen this or any of his films please go out of your way to check them out.
Every time I leave a Yasujirō Ozu I leave more impressed than before. He is a master director and every one of his films hits me in a different way leaving me floored. He is one of my favorite directors of all time and I need to see more. This is a near masterpiece that everyone should see, though that is something you can say about plenty of Ozu's films. If you have not seen this or any of his films please go out of your way to check them out.