An Autumn Afternoon (Yasujirō Ozu, 1962)

Capturing the calm and thoughtful manner of a father, reflecting on his duty to his daughter, is a moment rarely seen on film. Director Yasujiro Ozu though, is a filmmaker who has effortlessly caught this type of moment throughout his career. From the generational divide seen in the family in Tokyo Story (widely considered one of the Greatest Films of All-Time) to the widowed men in An Autumn Afternoon, it is clear that reflecting on your life in your twilight years is a rite of passage. An Autumn Afternoon was Ozu’s final film - and his sixth in colour. Considering he remained single his entire life, living with his mother during her final years, it is perhaps surprising that he manages to capture the sense of family so well.

An Autumn Afternoon tells the story of Hirayama (Chishu Ryu), an older man, who has three children. His eldest son, Koichi, is married and lives away from home, while his daughter Michiko and college-son Kazuo remain at home. He works within a factory and meets with his friends Kawai and Horie over sake and . The three friends spend a night with a former teacher, referred to as ‘The Gourd’, who lives alone with his daughter. ‘The Gourd’ works in a noodle shop, his daughter is older now and will clearly not marry as she has dedicated her life to look after her father. Kawai tells Hirayama that this could be him and his daughter. This becomes the drive of the story as Hirayama has to release his daughter from the boundaries of home, and marry into another family – as Hirayama will have to learn how to look after himself.

Ozu’s unique direction is apparent within An Autumn Afternoon, as it would be within the majority of his films. Indoor locations, low-framing and static shots are part and parcel of his oeuvre. The style of filmmaking makes you analyse and hone in on the characters emotion. A final shot of Hirayama sipping tea switches our thoughts – we wonder what he is thinking. Indeed, a calm and slow structure forces a viewer to work harder at considering the purpose of each sequence. This isn’t a flaw in any respect, merely an observation from a viewer who is fed on the fast-paced, urgency of modern filmmaking.

Ozu ranks amongst the very best filmmakers of all-time, alongside Welles and Hitchcock. His inspiration reaches to Jim Jarmusch, Claire Denis and Wim Wenders. An Autumn Afternoon balances the personal story of Hirayama against the larger context of the change in tradition within Japan. While the arrangement of marriage is an important role for parents – something Hirayama holds dear, it is clear that the traditional role of husband and wife is vastly different within the younger marriage between Koichi and his wife, Mariko. He helps with the chores and food-preparation, literally wearing the apron, while Mariko is happy and content to dictate where the finances will, and will not, go. This larger context provides a fascinating angle to the story – and something that a small, domestic story rarely demonstrates.

Ozu, for many years, was considered “too Japanese” for Western audiences. The year his films were screened at the Venice Film Festival, was followed the following year by his death. International films, and especially Ozu, are a great example of watching a film that in every respect is rooted in Japanese culture and tradition. But what is clear about An Autumn Afternoon, is how themes still resonate with Western audiences. Caring for parents may not be as traditionally expected as it is in Japan – especially in 1960’s, but our duty to our family against our own ambitions and aspirations, for a family or otherwise, can often be a conflict. This tender story, though distant, is recognisable and will remain relevant for as long as family exists.

This post was originally written for Flickering Myth on 15th May 2014

Dr No (Terence Young, 1962)

"I admire your luck, Mr...?"
"Bond, James Bond"

Introduction

I have not written an analysis of a film for months - trying to kick off the A-Z features, the Incredible Soundtracks is something I have wanted to do for many years and , to top it off, I am trying to catalogue my notes on a huge book titled A Critical Introduction to Film. The idea of analysing a film seemed so time-consuming. But, one thing I seem to have consumed greatly in the last few weeks is the James Bond franchise. I am reading Licence to Thrill: A Cultural History of the James Bond Franchise by James Chapman as I re-watch the franchise - beginning with Dr No. Whilst at the same time re-listening to The Hollywood Saloon podcasts, titled Bond Never Dies. Inevitably, I would highly recommend these books and podcasts as the vast majority of ideas and research would be credited to both these sources.

Dr No was the first James Bond feature-film at the cinema. The first Ian Fleming 007 book, Casino Royale, was made into a TV-film for a TV-series whereby they adapted classic books. The TV-film of Casino Royale had been adapted with an American 'Jimmy' Bond and was completely different to what soon became James Bond under Eon Productions. Harry Saltzman and Albert 'Cubby' Broccoli nabbed the rights and the first James Bond feature-film was in production.

Introducing the Icon

Introducing James Bond, even in Dr No was a moment that would never be forgotton. Sylvia Trench introduces herself - "Trench, Sylvia Trench ... and you are?", cure the Bond theme and Connery's impeccable delivery "Bond, James Bond.". It is worth noting that this beginning is actually incredibly fast-paced - finding out what he is expected to do, Bond (Connery) has 3-hours to get prepared and be on his flight to Jamaica - but not before Sylvia Trench lays herself at Bond's feet. In his shirt and playing golf. Women fall for James Bond but, though over the years the way this happens is changed and adapted, for the vast majority of the 60's and 70's, James Bond's charm and animalism ultimately wins over women and they give him what he wants. Dr No is no different in how women are subordinate to James Bond and, ultimately, men. This is iconic in James Bond - women are drawn to him and, though this seems quite possible with a young Sean Connery in role, the fifty-something Roger Moore in A View To A Kill requires a little bit more convincing and, to some extent fails.

Though iconic moments are constantly introduced in films following Dr No, the basic set-up is established including the gun-barrell. Goodfellas ends with an explicit reference to The Great Train Robbery (1903) and, to some extent you can see the similarity between this gunbarrel sequence and what became the only way to start a James Bond film ... until Casino Royale (2006). Chapman notes how Dr No is equally steeped in colour - "from the Pop-Art title-sequence".

Racism

One thing that is apparent in the vast majority of these films is the exceptionally racist elements in casting. Other than Professer Dent, the characters which are seen as inferior to Bond and the 'good guys' are, ultimately, not caucasian. Dr No and Miss Taro are of Asian descent whilst Quarrell - though initially introduced as dangerous and violent, when we find out he is 'one of the good guys' he is clearly used as the 'henchman' for James Bond - the animalism as he holds Marguerite LeWars, Dr No's 'oriental' photographer, and even hurts her. Chapman additionally notes how James Bond himself even orders Quarrell to get his shoes - hardly on the same 'level' as Bond and Felix Leiter.

Bond as a Cold Killer

Throughout the series, we see James Bond as an exceptionally cold-killer. In Dr No his execution of Professer Dent (Anthony Dawson) is cruel and heartless - though, in fairness, Dent clearly had no problem in killing Bond. Prior to shooting Dent, as Dent clicks-empty his gun: "That's a Smith and Weston - and you've had your six".

Positive Press... and not a fan of Connery

Critics were well aware that this was the first of many James Bond films and this, to some extent, divided critics. Some praising the accepted norm of Bonds characterisation - "all in the day's work, now for the next please" noted Dilys Powell, but ironically, on the first outing Connery was not accepted whole-heartedly as the Film Monthly Bulletin notedhow "Sean Connery is such a disappointingly wooden and boorish Bond". Derek Hill claimed Connery was a "telly-commercial salesman"

Reference Points

As Chapman observed, the colour - and some film posters - were clearly influnenced by Pop-Art and the work Andy Warhol and Lichtenstein whilst the sets, designed by Ken Adam, had an almost German Expressionistic style to them - especially in Dent's phone-box room to Dr No. I personally felt that the sleek curves and simplicity evoked work from the Bauhaus too. At the time, the film was released two years after Michael Powell's Peeping Tom and even drew comparisons with the "sado-masochistic" aspects prevalent in both films - the casual sex and cold-blooded violence inevitably playing a part to this. Ironically, Chapman notes additionally how Bond is a voyeur at multiple points - think of the iconic Ursula Andress emerging from the ocean in bikini, knife on her side, shell in hand... Bond spies her, without her realising, only emerging to flirt and seduce her.

In Closing...

Despite some negative press, the film was ultimately a success. The films were edited so that the sex and volence was limited - no blood squirting from wounds when characters are shot. In many cases, there is no blood. Additionally, the sex is hinted out and we never see excessive nudity. It aims for a broad audience and manages to achieve this. Ian Fleming seemed to appreciate the film - noting how "those who've read the book are likely to be disappointed, but those who haven't will find it a wonderful movie".

Fact is, Dr No was successful in England and in parts of Europe, but it did not break the world yet. The film was perfect to begin the Bond franchise with - small scale, simple in execution,. limited - but visually tourist-like location. The next film needed to improve upon what had been established... and it did so ...