Kurutta kajitsu (1956)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Kô Nakahira

Writer:

Shintarô Ishihara (writer)

Release Date:

12 July 1956 (Japan)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Spending their summer on an exotic beach, two brothers fall for the same beautiful girl, whose charm and looks may hide more than they they bargained for. |

Plot Keywords:

Beach | Generation Gap | Young Love | Japan | Ukulele

Cast

Ayuko Fujishiro	...	Mother
Taizô Fukami	...	Father
Mie Kitahara	...	Eri
Harold Conway	...	Eri's husband
Masumi Okada	...	Hirosawa Frank
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Youko Benisawa	...	Kamakura Housekeeper
Eiko Higashitani	...	Michiko
Shintarô Ishihara
Yûjirô Ishihara	...	Takishima Natsuhisa
Hiroshi Kondô	...	Harbormaster
Yôko Takeuchi	...	Kamakura's Tenant
Masahiko Tsugawa	...	Takishima Haruji
Noriko Watari	...	Eri's Friend
Zenji Yamada	...	Fisherman

Also Known As:

Crazed Fruit (USA)
Juvenile Jungle (International: English title)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan

Company:

Nikkatsu Film Company

Trivia:

François Truffaut was so taken with the film that he recommended it to the Cinematheque; this was the first Japanese film awarded that honor.

Goofs:

Continuity: Haruji is loading groceries into a car outside a small grocery stall. Eri rides up on her bike and starts talking to him. Right behind Haruji can be seen a wall clock, the hands of which indicate a time of 4:35. The camera switches to Eri's face for a few seconds, then back to Haru, but now the clock indicates a time of 4:29.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Kuang lian shi (1968)

Japanese version of the Beatniks

I was curious about this movie when I first heard about it, but I was not sure what to expect. Thankfully this movie is a bag of chips, with dip and beer.

The movie revolves around the exploits of well to do Japanese teenagers (possibly early 20's), in post WWII Japan. We mostly follow around two brothers, Natsuhisa and Haruji. They go off to the coast where they hang out with friends, water ski, swim, sail, drink, smoke, go clubbing, get into fights and play a game where they try to pick up as many women as possible. They don't have any responsibility and mostly just lie around, complaining about how there's nothing interesting to do. Just like in the Beatniks they are out looking for thrills.

The conflict in the movie arises from Haruji (the younger brother). Out of the group, Haruji is the youngest and most naive. He meets a beautiful girl, Eri and brings her to one of their parties. She catches the eye of Haruji's older and more "experienced" brother, Natsuhisa. Thus the triangular conflict is set and ready to go.

The movie is quite graphic, considering this movie was made in 1956. In the same way the Beatniks (and other similar period movies) depicted disenchanted and "sinful" teenagers in the US, Crazed Fruit does the same for Japan.

The final scene of the movie is a classic, worthwhile and carnal. I highly recommend this movie.

-Celluloid Rehab