Subarashiki nichiyobi (1947)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Akira Kurosawa

Writers:

Akira Kurosawa (writer)
Keinosuke Uegusa (writer)

Release Date:

June 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Yuzo and his fiancée Masako spend their Sunday afternoon together, trying to have a good time on just thirty-five yen...

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Isao Numasaki	...	Yuzo
Chieko Nakakita	...	Masako
Atsushi Watanabe	...	Yamamoto
Zeko Nakamura	...	Dessert Shop Owner
Ichiro Namiki	...	Street Photographer
Toppa Utsumi	...	Street Photographer
Ichirô Sugai	...	Yamiya, the black-marketeer
Masao Shimizu	...	Dance Hall Manager
Tokuji Kobayashi	...	Overweight apartment receptionist
Shiro Mizutani	...	Waif
Aguri Hidaka	...	Dancer
Midori Ariyama	...	Sono, Yamiya's mistress
Katao Numazaki	...	Bakery Owner
Toshi Mori	...	Apartment Superintendent
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sachio Sakai	...	Shady Ticket Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Akira Kurosawa

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Akira Kurosawa		writer
Keinosuke Uegusa		writer

Produced by
Sojiro Motoki	....	producer

Original Music by
Tadashi Hattori

Cinematography by
Asakazu Nakai

Production Design by
Kazuo Kubo

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tsuneo Kobayashi	....	chief assistant director
Zenji Koizumi	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Ichirô Minawa	....	sound effects editor
Shigeharu Yasue	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Kuichiro Kishida	....	lighting technician
Takao Saitô	....	assistant camera
Yoji Takagi	....	still photographer

Editorial Department
Zenji Koizumi	....	negative cutter

Other crew
Reiko Kawamura	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Toho Company

Distributors

• Toei Company (1947) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (2008) (USA) (DVD) (as Eclipse from the Criterion Collection)
• FDM (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Toho Studios  sound stages

Also Known As:

One Wonderful Sunday (International: English title)
Wonderful Sunday
Un merveilleux dimanche (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Ein wunderschöner Sonntag (Germany) [de]
Un domingo maravilloso (Spain) [es]
Una meravigliosa domenica (Italy) [it]

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Toho Studios, Tokyo, Japan

Company:

Toho Company

unusual capra-esquire film

This film provides an interesting counterpoint to other Kurosawa films. Its portrayal of post-war Japan recalls Stray Dog, but the poverty and sleaziness in this case are used as the background for a romance between two very attractive young people, who have a Sunday date, but only 35 yen to spend. Yet there is not the gloom of Lower Depths. Both have jobs and we see his minimally decent rental room. The title seems throughout the film to be rather ironic, since most of the situations they encounter, such as being cheated at a snack bar, are far from wonderful. However, Kurosawa puts a positive spin at the conclusion. I agree with another reviewer that the device of having the girl speak to the audience, seeking our sympathy for young couples without money, who wish to marry, is a very awkward device that distracts from our interest in the relationship. However, I disagree with another reviewer who describes the ending as corny: we've all heard of Capra-corny. This film does not come up to Capra's level, but it is reminiscent of his human interest. It seemed to me that the closing device of the girl's making a date for the next Sunday works very well. Every film needs closure, and this one does not deal in high drama at any point, so a highly dramatic climax would not be appropriate. The viewer who wants that should go to Ran or Kagemusha. In my view, the early Kurosawa films showed him how to develop human relationships: a gift that later would be present in the samurai films, and would make them much more than action epics.