Immortal Love

Wealthy Tatsuya Nakadai returns from war in Manchuria with a gimp leg. Hideko Takamine tells him she loves Keiji Sada, who is still at the front. Angered, he rapes her, and then forces her to marry him, They spend the next 29 years tormenting each other in that particularly demonic way that only the cinematic Japanese manage.

I don't know how younger movie-goers will deal with the relationships in this movie, but I saw marriages when I was a youngster where man and wife hated each other with a passion, and that led me to believe that perhaps the title was a mistranslation, despite the fact that this is the only Japanese movie I've ever seen with a flamenco score. Was the love that felt by Miss Takamine for Mr. Sada, despite the fact that he shows up later with a wife and son? Might the word in Japanese actually mean "Passion"?

All was revealed by the end, but in the meantime, the story, performers and cinematography by Hiroshi Kusuda certainly kept my interest going!

When you have the pairing of Tatsuya Nakadai and Hideko Takamine, you have magic. This absorbing drama spans 29 years of a relationship between Heibei (Nakadai) and Sadako (Takamine) in which they more or less despise each other. The relationship was built on a lie from the beginning as Heibei, returning home from war a semi-cripple (he needs a cane) tells Sadako that her boyfriend Takashi (Keiji Sada), who was still at war, was probably killed. Obviously, he wants Sadako for himself. He rapes her and a pregnancy happens. Takashi comes back not wounded and finds out and vows they will flee together, but this never happens. So, in five distinct chapters, you see this couple's marriage as what it really is: Filled with resentment, regret and overall enmity. There is not one chuckle in this film (in other words, its not over the top like "The War Of The Roses"). However, its so well acted by all three principal actors and it does not have a dull moment. Its about so many things. Mr. Kinoshita wrote and directed, doing a great job. Again, not a fun film, but for a fan of Nakadai, Takamine or even Mr. Sada, it is fairly essential viewing. I recommend it.

I saw Kinoshita's 1963 film, A Legend of a Duel to the Death, prior to seeing this. I was overwhelmed by it. I had seen and enjoyed other films of his before this, but none had that unique style of the '63 film. After seeing Immortal Love, it is clear that Kinoshita was capable of that by 1961 as the style is very similar. Both use similar photography and pacing, and both take place in the rural farming country of Japan.

Before I watched this film, I thought the depressing nature of the story might make it less engaging, less entertaining, but it's actually a joy to watch from start to finish. One more point... As intentionally stylized as this film is, it doesn't represent Kinoshita's style in general. I can only think of one other film of his that feels like this, other than Legend... And that is the first part of Koge...('64), The Scent of Incense, which moves and feels somewhat similar. Also Kinoshita has made great films in a different style.

Excellent film.