MovieChat Forums > Ohayô Discussion > one of Ozu's lightest and worst

one of Ozu's lightest and worst

posted 17 years ago by trochesset
19 replies | jump to latest

SPOILERS
(1959) Good Morning
This is very light Ozu, in which the biggest conflict is between two children and there parents over whether or not they should have a television. Lots of fart jokes, a bit overdone in that area, if I must say. I watched this film a bit out of order, I was going in chronological order, but I had only a certain amount of time to slip a film in, and so I skipped about 6 movies on my list, and it definitely is stylisticly different than from the last films I watched...late Spring, Record of a Tenement Gentleman, and there was a father. There are no moving shots at all, and there are very few of Ozu's non-story compositions. I'm used to being treated to shots of mountains and power lines, but this time nearly every shot has something to do with the narative.

Like I said, though this is very light Ozu, about a battle between two boys and their parents over whether or not they should have a tv set, and the boys win. These kids are really pretty bad, and they don't even get in trouble for running away or stealing food and pots from a neighbor. The kids were really brats and get no comeupance at all, nor are they portrayed as the victorious villains that they are, in fact they are just given the awe-shucks treatment and that I could not take. One of my least favorite from Ozu.

[–] mojojobob 16 years ago

Its a comedy, "light" subject matter fits and serves its purpose. You can't honestly tell me you WANTED those children to be scolded, they were adorable and the only real protagonists in the movie.

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[–] Death_to_Pan_and_Scan 16 years ago

I just watched it last night finally (thereby now having seen all the Criterion/Eclipse Ozu films) and I liked it, though not as much as his classics. Even a 'bad' Ozu film is better than a good film by most directors. I liked this better than Tokyo Twilight or Early Spring.

Someone correct me if I'm mistaken, but I believe that the food and pots 'stolen' by the kids were actually just borrowed from their own house because they wanted a snack and didn't want to deal w/ the parents (like sneaking cookies from the cookie jar in your mom's kitchen).

Yes, the fart joke thing was overdone, but it was still quite an enjoyable and amusing film overall. I'll take it over most of the current sophomoric gross-out 'comedies' of recent years. I liked how *SLIGHT SPOILERS* the kids unwillingness to talk connected in with ignoring greetings from a neighbor who was already suspicious of their mother and had previously had a disagreement with her. The film made good use of Japanese typical politeness and unwillingness to say things directly but to replace what a person wants to say with generic greetings and comments on the weather.

8/10
I think the lowest I've given any Ozu film is a 6 or 7.

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[–] moretap 15 years ago

Keep in mind that what a Western audience would consider a "fart joke" is a much different thing to a Japanese audience. Japanese fart culture is much more highly developed than in the West. Where it may be seen as "overdone" to a Westerner, it is quite benign for the Japanese.

[–] imwithstupid_35 15 years ago

YOu guys are *beep* crazy.

This is a masterpiece.

Ozu's second best.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] nyjack 11 years ago

You know, it might be interesting if you were to expand on this topic for those of us not Japanese, especially given that Ozu is running some 15 years ahead of Mel Brooks in this regard.

Also, as to the word "bakaa," idiot, does it carry a harsher connotation in Japanese than it does in English. You hear the word a lot in Japanese movies and anime and it always seem to be carry a nastier feel to it.

[–] nutsberryfarm 9 years ago

that's good to know.

🎄Season's Greetings!🎁🎅🎄

[–] SMH-1982 14 years ago

The OP's topic reminds me of certain film snobs who over-analyze films and have a film go right over their heads and miss the point entirely.

I remember reading someone's post about Fellini - they tried critiquing 1 or 2 of his films by comparing his entire catalog to make the point how these 2 films were poor or the 'worst' of the bunch. The point was made that they didn't fit with the rest of Fellini's catalog and/or these films weren't what they were used to seeing/expecting - very similar to this OP's point of view.

It's kind of sad that some people, who obviously enjoy film, cannot disconnect themselves enough and let each film stand on it's own merit. I think Good Morning is just as good and just as important to Ozu's other works, even if its not on their cliche top 10 list.

[–] rainbird131162 13 years ago

The OP's topic reminds me of certain film snobs who over-analyze films and have a film go right over their heads and miss the point entirely.

I remember reading someone's post about Fellini - they tried critiquing 1 or 2 of his films by comparing his entire catalog to make the point how these 2 films were poor or the 'worst' of the bunch. The point was made that they didn't fit with the rest of Fellini's catalog and/or these films weren't what they were used to seeing/expecting - very similar to this OP's point of view.

It's kind of sad that some people, who obviously enjoy film, cannot disconnect themselves enough and let each film stand on it's own merit. I think Good Morning is just as good and just as important to Ozu's other works, even if its not on their cliche top 10 list.

If I wanted to be nasty I'd say the OP is a pompous ass but I won't. So instead I'll just settle for saying I totally agree with you, SMH-1982.

Mai Yamane! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-sYFirfywY&feature=related

[–] Errington_92 12 years ago

a battle between two boys and their parents over whether or not they should have a tv set, and the boys win. These kids are really pretty bad, and they don't even get in trouble for running away or stealing food and pots from a neighbor. The kids were really brats and get no comeupance at all, nor are they portrayed as the victorious villains that they are, in fact they are just given the awe-shucks treatment and that I could not take.

Who says that there wasn't no comeuppance? If you reflect back to the conversation their Father had with an acquaintance about Televison, stating that if they become widely popular then there would be a "hundred million idiots" in Japan. The Father also stated he did not believe in the worth of Television yet in the end he gave in to the wishes of his Sons. It was a hint of what was to come in the future and Ozu was critising this aspect of modern life by showing the boys getting the Televison, therefore conforming as a part of the "hundred million idiots". This could be seen as a comeuppance.

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".

[–] hka-3 11 years ago

a battle between two boys and their parents over whether or not they should have a tv set, and the boys win. These kids are really pretty bad, and they don't even get in trouble for running away or stealing food and pots from a neighbor. The kids were really brats and get no comeupance at all, nor are they portrayed as the victorious villains that they are, in fact they are just given the awe-shucks treatment and that I could not take.

I certainly saw something deeper than that. It wasn't purely about the boys winning or being spoiled. The purchase of the TV set was partially out of respect for a struggling neighbor who had just been hired by the company which sold the television.

The boys showed a decent amount of discipline in their no talking pact, which was inspired by adults telling them they talked too much. Learning to use an advanced level of discipline is one of the most important lessons in life. The adults seemed to appreciate the effort to a certain extent and rightfully so. Common sense tells us that sometimes a learning experience is more important than punishment.

As for comeuppance, the boys in their quest didn't exactly have an easy time of it. There were some frustrations and pitfalls associated with it, which was another important lesson.

Also, as someone else said, the boys appeared to sneak the food and pots from their own home so that they wouldn't starve. They most likely meant to return the pots, but didn't expect to be startled by the police officer.

[–] JellyFish19 10 years ago

Sure, it was basically about nothing, but all Ozu's films have this calm and relaxing atmosphere that even when the characters had a much tougher situation and stronger obstacles to deal with (Tokyo Story, Floating Weeds) I still never felt any threat or worry for them. It was just the right type of movie to watch at 2 in the morning.

[–] Kawada_Kira 10 years ago

Sure, it was basically about nothing

It wasn't about nothing; there were a few different messages in the film about life in Japan, the way Japanese society handles communication and the consumer culture that was emerging at the time.

"The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor."
- Voltaire

[–] PoppyTransfusion 10 years ago

The point of the film wasn't about a battle between two children and their parents. It's about communication, whether that be verbal or non-verbal. The film begins with children playing at farts and then moves into a gossipy conversation between two neighbours. Two children undertake a vow of silence and either don't communicate at all or do by sign language. The children want to watch TV rather than learn to speak English. The young couple with the TV set sing at various points. The two children's vow of silence sparks another round of gossip when they fail to say good morning, as though this is the most important thing to say to adults. One man who suffers from extreme flatulence finds his wife asking him each time he farts if he called for her!

The film is comic genius.

I give my respect to those who have earned it; to everyone else, I'm civil.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] ghtx 10 years ago

I think that OP suffers from the (common) bias that comedy can't be as "important" as drama. This is a very funny movie and perhaps a "light" movie (depending what is meant by that word), and it is also an excellent movie and (I believe) one of Ozu's finest. It's both really really funny and has a really really specific and important set of things to say about how people communicate with each other (or don't), both adults and children.

[–] matthewwave-1 9 years ago

Of course the film isn't about nothing. It's very much about at least four things, including some of Ozu's biggest themes: family, community, and especially in this case, communication and the encroachment of western culture on Japanese culture. For a "light" comedy, it's practically carrying around tons of packages of "theme".

And of course we want to see those two kids get their comeuppance; we can't help but want it -- they're such brats! (If adorable ones, especially Isamu.) But it's inevitable and necessary that they DON'T get their just desserts -- that would be totally contrary to what the film is about. That cultural encroachment. Those kids ARE gonna get their TV, just as Japan IS gonna get more and more western culture, Ozu is saying. And, of course, Ozu didn't live to see just how right he was.

To see the parents tut tut contentedly -- approvingly, even! -- as the brats win the war and get their TV has got to be frustrating for many an adult viewer (particularly parents -- not to mention parents of brats!), but the parents know and Ozu knows that to fight it is to live in a fantasy world.

It may not be the very, very best Ozu made, but it's a great, great film.