MovieChat Forums > Mr. Holmes (2015) Discussion > Beautiful film -- Japanese chapter

Beautiful film -- Japanese chapter

posted 9 years ago by mylesag
13 replies | jump to latest

Not one of your grander concept films -- but in its own, small scale, quiet, poignant, thoughtful ways -- really an excellent film.

I really liked it -- but I keep wondering about the Japanese episode. What was the point? It seems like something had been cut from the tale of the father. I mean the chapter never really meant or adding anything to the story...other than the significance and symbolism of the white stones at the end...which was very well woven into the story. I felt that there was something more to the older Japanese man's involvement in that he became a spy for the Brits in the Asian war. I wonder if that's in the book?

[–] nyjack 9 years ago

It seemed like one of those sub-stories that may have worked better in a novel. But I got a few things from it in the movie. One, Holmes was desperate enough to retrieve his memories that he was willing to travel half-way around the world to get that prickly ash plant, a trip that at that time must have mostly been by boat and have taken a fairly long time both ways. Two, after living a sheltered life for the last 25 years or so, he sees a wider world and the great violence that the last war had brought about. Living near the coast there probably would have been a lot of soldiers stationed in the area, but I doubt Holmes had traveled to London or other bombed cities during the recent war. And he gets to see the stone-laying ritual. Three, at the end, Holmes now realizing he has lived too rationally sits down to write his first piece of "fiction," the lie he concocts about Umezaki's father that he hopes will give some relief to the man who gave him the ash. [Though I kind of wonder in retrospect finding out that your father was a traitor, working for the enemy during the war, was something that would give a sense of resolution to the son.]

[–] cathyweeks 9 years ago

...the lie he concocts about Umezaki's father that he hopes will give some relief to the man who gave him the ash. [Though I kind of wonder in retrospect finding out that your father was a traitor, working for the enemy during the war, was something that would give a sense of resolution to the son.]

The Japanese weren't involved in WWI, and so Umezaki's father's involvement wouldn't have been traitorous. Remember, that the Umezaki senior timeline would have occurred many years prior to the 1947 timeline.

[–] Ed in MO 9 years ago

The Japanese fought on the side of the British and against the Germans in World War I. In fact, after the war they were given many of the same islands formally possessed by the Germans which the American Marines would have to retake in World War II.

[–] mylesag 9 years ago

Was Umezaki, Sr.'s deciding to work for the Brits related to WWI? I thought it was WW2 becuz, from the end of WW1, 1917-1918, until 1947, that would've been 30 years' time in which time the senior Umezaki should have returned to his family. Also, when Holmes started to write the 'diplomatic' reply to Junior, the camera panned up to a book about "The Malay Peninsula War" (or something "Malay") on the bookshelf. So that, I take it, referred to the Japanese-Anglo conflict in WW2 in Southeast Asia where the senior Umezaki would've been put to best use as a spy for the Brits vs. his old country.

So think the senior Umezaki was involved with WW2 espionage efforts rather than WW1.

[–] lotr1965 9 years ago

The senior Umezaki intentionally abandoned his family and had no intention of returning. He used Holmes as an 'excuse.'

The Holmes in the 'made up' scenes of the senior Umezaki taking his advice to write a letter to his family explaining he would not return was a younger Holmes. So I think the previous poster was right that it took place during World War I.

[–] Ed in MO 9 years ago

Holmes' recollection showed him in his 1917 form and had his older brother (by seven years) Mycroft in it appearing in his late middle ages and healthy (and in this account Mycroft died at almost 100 years old in the 1940's), so it had to be World War One.

[–] AgentBlue 9 years ago

good answer.

Lose the Game!!!!!!!

[–] joekiddlouischama 9 years ago

I feel that the primary purpose of the Japanese narrative was to further the theme of Holmes' failing memory and how that loss haunts him. And the exposure of the Hiroshima victims' suffering certainly added something. But as I note in another thread, although I really appreciated many aspects of Mr. Holmes upon a second screening, I still feel that the slack narrative construction—the lack of well-knit stitching between the three stories—creates a desultory effect. Loose narrative braiding may work for certain kinds of films—ones that are stylistically shaggier, more spontaneous, more phenomenological, or more avante-garde—but for a formal chamber piece, greater narrative correlation may have been more appropriate.

[–] sirmildredpierce 8 years ago

a trip that at that time must have mostly been by boat and have taken a fairly long time both ways.

Why do you feel he wouldn't have flown?

[–] Morgana0 9 years ago

What Sherlock told the son of the Japanese man was the truth. What he wrote at the end of the film was a lie. By showing him writing that letter we are to understand that Sherlock now understands that sometimes it's kinder to lie to someone than to tell them the truth.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Morgana0x

[–] bloodymaryhorror 9 years ago

For a bit I was wondering if perhaps Umezeki was attempting to poison Holmes with (maybe radioactive?) Prickly Ash or a substitute. I suppose I let myself get carried away trying to make sense of that part

[–] rhmendelson 9 years ago

I thought that too initially! And I thought there will ultimately be power in a substance that grew from destruction, but I think Holmes seeing the man placing the stones was his redemption from his struggles.

[–] rhmendelson 9 years ago

The Japanese episode offered Holmes the clue he needed. While he sought relief from his declining memory, in the end it was emotional redemption he needed to weave the disparate parts of his life together. From going to Hiroshima, and watching the man honor the memory of his loved ones that he lost in life by placing stones around himself, Holmes needed that experience to connect with his emotional side - something he hadn't really developed before. Therefore, maybe Holmes had never lost his memory, perhaps he had merely subverted many of these experiences so as not to deal with the pain of the woman's death. Ultimately the stone experience was the redemption he needed to make sense of his life and to move forward. In the end, the Hiroshima visit actual provided the ultimate clue that made sense of everything!