Tora's Pure Love
Encyclopedia
aka Torasan Meets his School-Mates and Tora-san's Heart of Gold is a 1976
Japan
ese comedy film directed by Yoji Yamada
. It stars Kiyoshi Atsumi
as Torajirō Kuruma (Tora-san), and Machiko Kyō
as his love interest or "Madonna". Tora's Pure Love is the eighteenth entry in the popular, long-running Otoko wa Tsurai yo
series, and was Machiko Kyō's penultimate film appearance.
writes that the film disappointing in comparison with the previous Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset
(also 1976), more sentimental and less well-plotted than the earlier film. Galbraith judges Tora's Pure Love nevertheless to be funny, and enjoyable for the scenes between series star Kiyoshi Atsumi
and actress Machiko Kyō
in one of her last appearances. The German-language site molodezhnaja gives Tora's Pure Love three and a half out of five stars.
1976 in film
The year 1976 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*March 22 - Filming begins on George Lucas' Star Wars science fiction film...
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...
ese comedy film directed by Yoji Yamada
Yoji Yamada
is a Japanese film director best known for his Otoko wa Tsurai yo series of films and his Samurai Trilogy ....
. It stars Kiyoshi Atsumi
Kiyoshi Atsumi
Kiyoshi Atsumi , born Yasuo Tadokoro , was a Japanese film actor....
as Torajirō Kuruma (Tora-san), and Machiko Kyō
Machiko Kyo
is a Japanese actress whose film work occurred primarily during the 1950s. She rose to extraordinary domestic praise in Japan for her work in two of the greatest Japanese films of the 20th century, Akira Kurosawa's Rashōmon and Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu.Machiko trained to be a dancer before...
as his love interest or "Madonna". Tora's Pure Love is the eighteenth entry in the popular, long-running Otoko wa Tsurai yo
Otoko wa Tsurai yo
Otoko wa tsurai yo is a Japanese film series starring Kiyoshi Atsumi as "Tora-san" , a kind-hearted vagabond who is always unlucky in love. The series itself is often referred to as "Tora-san" by its fans...
series, and was Machiko Kyō's penultimate film appearance.
Synopsis
When Tora-san's infatuation with his nephew's school teacher causes family turmoil, he leaves on his travels again. When he returns, he falls in love with the teacher's mother, who has a terminal illness.Cast
- Kiyoshi AtsumiKiyoshi AtsumiKiyoshi Atsumi , born Yasuo Tadokoro , was a Japanese film actor....
as Torajirō - Chieko BaishōChieko Baishois a Japanese actress and singer.In Japan, she is well known for her performance as Sakura in the Otoko wa Tsurai yo series . In addition, she has acted in most films directed by Yōji Yamada since the 1960s...
as Sakura - Machiko KyōMachiko Kyois a Japanese actress whose film work occurred primarily during the 1950s. She rose to extraordinary domestic praise in Japan for her work in two of the greatest Japanese films of the 20th century, Akira Kurosawa's Rashōmon and Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu.Machiko trained to be a dancer before...
as Aya Yagyū - Fumi DanFumi Danis a Japanese actress. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 17th Japan Academy Prize for her role in Bloom in the Moonlight...
as Masako Yagyū - Masami Shimojō as Kuruma Tatsuzō
- Chieko Misaki as Tsune Kuruma (Torajiro's aunt)
- Gin Maeda as Hiroshi Suwa
- Hayato Nakamura as Mitsuo Suwa
- Hisao Dazai as Boss (Umetarō Katsura)
- Gajirō Satō as Genkō
- Chishū RyūChishu 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...
as Gozen-sama - Yoshio Yoshida as Chairman
- Mari OkamotoMari Okamotois a Japanese actress and voice actress who is currently a member of the Mausu Promotion agency.- Biography :Despite being born in Tokyo, Okamoto was actually raised in Hirakata, Osaka, where she also spent her Elementary School years. In 1961, she made her deput for performing arts activities in...
as Sayuri Ōzora
Critical appraisal
Tora's Pure Love was the sixth top-grossing Japanese film of 1976. However, Stuart Galbraith IVStuart Galbraith IV
Stuart Galbraith IV is an American cinema historian, film critic, and DVD special features producer, essayist, and audio commentator.-Early life and education:...
writes that the film disappointing in comparison with the previous Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset
Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset
aka Torasan and the Painter and Tora-san's Sunset Glow is a 1976 Japanese comedy film directed by Yoji Yamada. It stars Kiyoshi Atsumi as Torajirō Kuruma , and Kiwako Taichi as his love interest or "Madonna"...
(also 1976), more sentimental and less well-plotted than the earlier film. Galbraith judges Tora's Pure Love nevertheless to be funny, and enjoyable for the scenes between series star Kiyoshi Atsumi
Kiyoshi Atsumi
Kiyoshi Atsumi , born Yasuo Tadokoro , was a Japanese film actor....
and actress Machiko Kyō
Machiko Kyo
is a Japanese actress whose film work occurred primarily during the 1950s. She rose to extraordinary domestic praise in Japan for her work in two of the greatest Japanese films of the 20th century, Akira Kurosawa's Rashōmon and Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu.Machiko trained to be a dancer before...
in one of her last appearances. The German-language site molodezhnaja gives Tora's Pure Love three and a half out of five stars.
Availability
Tora's Pure Love was released theatrically on December 25, 1976. In Japan, the film has been released on videotape in 1996, and in DVD format in 1999 and 2008.External links
- Tora's Pure Love at www.tora-san.jp (Official site)