Early Summer
Encyclopedia
is a 1951 film
by Yasujiro Ozu
. Like most of Ozu's post-war films, Early Summer deals with many issues ranging from communication problems between generations and the rising role of women in post-war Japan
.
Noriko lives contentedly in an extended family household that includes her parents and her brother's family, but an uncle's visit prompts the family to find her a husband.
), a secretary in Tokyo
, lives in the extended Mamiya family at Kamakura, Kanagawa
, which includes her parents Shukichi and Shige (Ichirô Sugai and Chieko Higashiyama), her older brother Koichi (Chishu Ryu
), a physician, his wife Fumiko (Kuniko Miyake), and their two young sons Minoru (Zen Murase) and Isamu (Isao Shirosawa).
An elderly uncle (Kokuten Kodo) arrives from the provinces to visit Tokyo, and reminds everyone that Noriko is at an age where she should marry. At work, Noriko's boss Satake (Shûji Sano) recommends a match for her involving a forty-year-old friend, Mr Manabe, who is a businessman and an avid golfer. Her other friends are divided into two groups—the married and the unmarried—who tease one another endlessly, with Aya Tamura (Chikage Awashima
) her close ally in the unmarried group.
The Mamiya family applies gentle pressure on Noriko to accept the match proposed by Satake, primarily through their acceptance of the cultural assumption that it is time for her to marry, and that the match proposed is a good one for a woman of her age.
Childhood friend Kenkichi Yabe (Hiroshi Nihonyanagi), a doctor, and widower, is father to young daughter. Yabe arranges to have tea and cakes with Noriko and gives her a sheaf of wheat. The sheaf is a gift from a brother who was killed during World War II and who asked Yabe to deliver it to Noriko in case he did not return. Later, Yabe is posted to Akita
, in northern Honshu
. Akita is considered so rural that Norkio and Aya make fun of the accent of the area. But when Yabe's mother Tami (Haruko Sugimura
) impulsively asks Noriko to marry Kenkichi and follow them in their northward resettlement, Noriko agrees. When Noriko reveals her decision to her family, the Mamiyas are quietly devastated. They hint to her that the match is a poor one. When Noriko persists the family is forced to live with their disappointment.
The family gradually accepts Noriko's choice with quiet resignation and before Noriko moves on, the family has a last photoshoot together. Noriko's parents console themselves that Noriko and Kenkichi will move back to Tokyo in a few years' time, and the family will be reunited. Meanwhile, the parents shall move to a rural region to stay with Noriko's elderly uncle. In the final scene of the film a bride passes down the country road in her traditional costume and Noriko's parents reflect on the impermanent nature of life. The final shot is of a barley
field ripening, which signifies the season the film is set in, early summer. The Japanese name of the film in fact means, Barley Harvest Time.
In 2004, the Criterion Collection released with a new high-definition digital transfer, with restored image and sound and new English subtitle translation. Also included were the original theatrical trailer, an audio commentary by Donald Richie
, Ozu’s Films from Behind-the-Scenes, a conversation about Ozu and his working methods between child-actor and sound technician Kojiro Suematsu, assistant cameraman Takashi Kawamata, and Ozu producer Shizuo Yamanouchi, and essays by David Bordwell
and Jim Jarmusch
.
1951 in film
The year 1951 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian film-makers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
by Yasujiro Ozu
Yasujiro Ozu
was a prominent Japanese film director and script writer. He is known for his distinctive technical style, developed during the silent era. Marriage and family, especially the relationships between the generations, are among the most persistent themes in his body of work...
. Like most of Ozu's post-war films, Early Summer deals with many issues ranging from communication problems between generations and the rising role of women in post-war Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Noriko lives contentedly in an extended family household that includes her parents and her brother's family, but an uncle's visit prompts the family to find her a husband.
Synopsis
Noriko (Setsuko HaraSetsuko Hara
is a Japanese actress who appeared in six of Yasujirō Ozu's films, most notably as Noriko in the 'Noriko Trilogy': Late Spring , Early Summer and Tokyo Story . Her other films for Ozu were Tokyo Twilight , Late Autumn and finally The End of Summer in 1961.She was born 会田 昌江 Masae Aida in...
), a secretary in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, lives in the extended Mamiya family at Kamakura, Kanagawa
Kamakura, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, about south-south-west of Tokyo. It used to be also called .Although Kamakura proper is today rather small, it is often described in history books as a former de facto capital of Japan as the seat of the Shogunate and of the Regency during the...
, which includes her parents Shukichi and Shige (Ichirô Sugai and Chieko Higashiyama), her older brother Koichi (Chishu Ryu
Chishu Ryu
was a famous Japanese film actor, a favourite of the director Yasujiro Ozu. From 1928 to 1992 he appeared in at least 155 films, including Ozu's Tokyo Story and Yoshitaro Nomura's Castle of Sand...
), a physician, his wife Fumiko (Kuniko Miyake), and their two young sons Minoru (Zen Murase) and Isamu (Isao Shirosawa).
An elderly uncle (Kokuten Kodo) arrives from the provinces to visit Tokyo, and reminds everyone that Noriko is at an age where she should marry. At work, Noriko's boss Satake (Shûji Sano) recommends a match for her involving a forty-year-old friend, Mr Manabe, who is a businessman and an avid golfer. Her other friends are divided into two groups—the married and the unmarried—who tease one another endlessly, with Aya Tamura (Chikage Awashima
Chikage Awashima
born Keiko Nakagawa in Tokyo, 24 February 1924) is a Japanese actress who has been in films since the 1950s.- Filmography :* Tenya wanya * Early Summer * Nami * An Inlet of Muddy Water...
) her close ally in the unmarried group.
The Mamiya family applies gentle pressure on Noriko to accept the match proposed by Satake, primarily through their acceptance of the cultural assumption that it is time for her to marry, and that the match proposed is a good one for a woman of her age.
Childhood friend Kenkichi Yabe (Hiroshi Nihonyanagi), a doctor, and widower, is father to young daughter. Yabe arranges to have tea and cakes with Noriko and gives her a sheaf of wheat. The sheaf is a gift from a brother who was killed during World War II and who asked Yabe to deliver it to Noriko in case he did not return. Later, Yabe is posted to Akita
Akita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region of northern Honshu, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Akita.- History :The area of Akita has been created from the ancient provinces of Dewa and Mutsu....
, in northern Honshu
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
. Akita is considered so rural that Norkio and Aya make fun of the accent of the area. But when Yabe's mother Tami (Haruko Sugimura
Haruko Sugimura
was a Japanese stage and film actress, best known for her appearances in the movies of Yasujiro Ozu and Mikio Naruse from the late 1940s to the early 1960s...
) impulsively asks Noriko to marry Kenkichi and follow them in their northward resettlement, Noriko agrees. When Noriko reveals her decision to her family, the Mamiyas are quietly devastated. They hint to her that the match is a poor one. When Noriko persists the family is forced to live with their disappointment.
The family gradually accepts Noriko's choice with quiet resignation and before Noriko moves on, the family has a last photoshoot together. Noriko's parents console themselves that Noriko and Kenkichi will move back to Tokyo in a few years' time, and the family will be reunited. Meanwhile, the parents shall move to a rural region to stay with Noriko's elderly uncle. In the final scene of the film a bride passes down the country road in her traditional costume and Noriko's parents reflect on the impermanent nature of life. The final shot is of a barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
field ripening, which signifies the season the film is set in, early summer. The Japanese name of the film in fact means, Barley Harvest Time.
Cast
- Setsuko HaraSetsuko Harais a Japanese actress who appeared in six of Yasujirō Ozu's films, most notably as Noriko in the 'Noriko Trilogy': Late Spring , Early Summer and Tokyo Story . Her other films for Ozu were Tokyo Twilight , Late Autumn and finally The End of Summer in 1961.She was born 会田 昌江 Masae Aida in...
... Noriko - Chishu RyuChishu Ryuwas a famous Japanese film actor, a favourite of the director Yasujiro Ozu. From 1928 to 1992 he appeared in at least 155 films, including Ozu's Tokyo Story and Yoshitaro Nomura's Castle of Sand...
... Koichi - Chikage AwashimaChikage Awashimaborn Keiko Nakagawa in Tokyo, 24 February 1924) is a Japanese actress who has been in films since the 1950s.- Filmography :* Tenya wanya * Early Summer * Nami * An Inlet of Muddy Water...
... Aya Tamura - Kuniko Miyake ... Fumiko
- Ichirô Sugai ... Shukichi
DVD release
Donald Richie
Donald Richie is an American-born author who has written about the Japanese people and Japanese cinema. Although he considers himself only a writer, Richie has directed many experimental films, the first when he was 17...
, Ozu’s Films from Behind-the-Scenes, a conversation about Ozu and his working methods between child-actor and sound technician Kojiro Suematsu, assistant cameraman Takashi Kawamata, and Ozu producer Shizuo Yamanouchi, and essays by David Bordwell
David Bordwell
David Bordwell is an American film theorist and film historian. Since receiving his PhD from the University of Iowa in 1974, he has written more than fifteen volumes on the subject of cinema including Narration in the Fiction Film , Ozu and the Poetics of Cinema , Making Meaning , and On the...
and Jim Jarmusch
Jim Jarmusch
James R. "Jim" Jarmusch is an American independent film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, editor and composer. Jarmusch has been a major proponent of independent cinema, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s.-Early life:...
.
Further reading
- Classic Japanese Screenplays: Ozu Yasujiro's Early Summer translated by D.A. Rajakaruna. Simasahita Sankha Mudrana Silpiyo; (1997), ISBN 9559530003
- Ozu Yasujiro's Two Post-War Films: Late Spring, Early Summer translated by D.A. Rajakaruna. Godage International Publishers, (2006)
External links
- Criterion Collection essay by David Bordwell
- Reviews at Rotten TomatoesRotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. - Early Summer at the Japanese Movie DatabaseJapanese Movie DatabaseThe , commonly referred to as JMDB, is an online database of information about Japanese movies, actors, and production crew personnel. It is similar to the Internet Movie Database, but lists only those films originally released in Japan. The site was started in 1997, and contains movies from Meiji...
- Voted #9 on The Arts and Faith Top 100 Films (2010)
- Early Summer at Ozu-san.com