Ikiru (1952)

Preamble

I watched this slightly out of order becuase my first copy was a bit dodgy.

What I already knew

Absolutely nothing. I hasn't even heard of this film until I saw it on the list - although I had heard of the director - Akira Kurosawa, if for no other reason than he is mentioned in a Barenaked Ladies song. I had also heard of the lead actor - Takashi Shimura, although I'm not really sure where from.

Review

First of all, in case you hadn't realised, this is a Japanese film and I was therefore watching it with subtitles. This necessarily takes away some of the impact of the film, because not only do you not pick up on many of the nuances in a language that you don't understand, but you are concentrating on two different things at the same time, the words and the pictures. This is one of the reason that I find foreign films to be intimidating.

The other reason is that there are often cultural differences that you simply don't understand or even notice if you are not familiar with the culture. I am certain that there are aspects of Ikiru that went completely over my head because I know little of Japanese culture, which is entirely to my detriment.

I don't want to make these reviews simply a plot summary as that's the whole point of watching the film really :) But in brief, a bureaucrat called Watanabe has worked for 30 years in the same department, but has become something of an automaton. He finds out that he has stomach cancer, which causes him to re-evaluate his life. The drudgery of his life is emphasied by the dour and opressing style of the film, at least in the early stages, which almost seems to bear down on Watanabe as he goes about his days.

In general, the visual of this film is simple, but there are some stunning moments - at the construction site, at the sunset, and on the swings in the park. The fact that there are so few perhaps makes them stand out more. In fact, visually this film felt a lot older than it was. I don't know if that was deliberate or if the technology in Japan was slightly lacking at the time. But when you compare the look of this film to Casablanca (made 10 years earlier) it seems like it should be the other way round.

The wild night out with the writer has some lovely moments in it, even then simple act of buying a new hat seems to change him significantly. The second adventure(s) with the girl from his office are perhaps less stirring; not helped by the enthusiasm, energy and childishness of the girl, although that is perhaps the point - to make a contrast and to rejuvenate him. Indeed, he says as much on their last night out, that he wants to live one day like she does. This scene is really the breakthrough, and it's simple but stirring, with Watanabe rushing out to the strains of 'Happy Birthday' from a party across the landing, the song almost seeming to be sung at him, announcing his new-found joy in life. Indeed the music is echoed through the next scene in his office.

The final section is both a retrospective of Watanabe's final project and the real message of the film. It takes place at his funeral. The message (as I understand it) is both simple and complex. In fact, different characters take different things away at the conclusion, and the same is probably true of the audience. As a civil servant, I can apprectiate many of the straightforward messages about government and bureaucracy, but I can also appreciate the human messages, none more so than the fact that we can all make a difference - something I feel very deeply myself.

There is much to admire in this film. Although I found the dialogue (or lack of it) frustrating at times, I think this helped to show Watanabe's struggle with himself - he couldn't articulate his feelings because he didn't truly understand them.

Would I watch it again? I'm not really sure. I think I would, if only to try and concentrate more on the action on screen that the words - and in places the other way round, but I'm not sure it would bear regular repeat viewings. Overall, it was less disconnected from mainstream cinema than I thought it would be, and while it is long (over 2 hours) and has a slow middle section, it is well worth the effort.

Rating: Rent it

Mrs Worm's opinion

She didn't watch it.

Useful links

IMDB | Roger Ebert | MRQE