One Wonderful Sunday

Akira Kurosawa's movies have a whole range of themes, be they set in contemporary or in historical eras. To name a few: the chasm between the rich and the poor, between the strong and the weak, between the courageous and the cowards, between the powerful and their foot folk, between the honest and the deceitful, between the clever and the idiots, between the sincere and the dishonest, and also, importantly, between war (destruction and loss) and peace (happiness).

In this movie, made just after WW II, he depicts the struggle for life of 'poor lovers', whose dreams were shattered by the war. Japan is in dire straits: no jobs, and, if you have a job, bad salaries; high rents for decent shelters and huge inflation. 'Free markets' are controlled by 'black' merchants and their thugs. There is still an upper class, which looks with contempt on those without money, their former foot folk. The girl remains optimistic, but her lover is deeply depressed.

Akira Kurosawa made some very risky shots on the music of F. Schubert's unfinished symphony. But, he had the mastery to create the perfect mood. Not to be missed and certainly not by A. Kurosawa fans.

This simple movie of a young, poor couple trying to enjoy their day off with little money is the best non-Italian neorealist film I've come across. True to the neorealist spirit, not a lot goes on; a gloomy Gus and his girlfriend wander the city, she trying to bring him out of his depression while it seems all of life is determined to keep him in it.

The movie does a good job of painting a picture of Japanese post-war poverty. Chieko Nakakita gives a wonderful, charming performance as she tries to cheer her beau and to fight against her own distress at their plight. Some scenes are truly striking, notably a trip through an uptown club and a tense, almost wordless scene between the two lovers.

The final big scene in the film drifts away from neorealism. It's an odd scene, and from a critical point of view I'm not sure what to make of it, but viscerally I found it rather affecting. I would love to know how audiences responded in Japan at the time.

There are a few issues in the movie. Some scenes go on too long (like the aforementioned "final big scene." And the guy's sudden emotional upswings often seemed to come out of nowhere, unlike his depressions, whose genesis was always clear. But overall it's a very human, simple movie with moments of joy and moments of pain, and I highly recommend it.

With this warm and uplifting film, the effect Kurosawa achieves is in the simplicity. The story is threadbare. Two lovebirds try to spend a Sunday together in post-war Tokyo and enjoy themselves with only 35 yen in their pockets. Kurosawa never ceases to amaze me because of his incredibly acute comprehension of the visual effects of a story. The simpler the story is, the more it becomes simply a day in their lives. The more it becomes a day in the life, the more upsetting we find the challenges facing them because of the Occupation and the crumbling economy at the time.

It's almost like a lightweight version of The Lost Weekend. There are no debilitating problems like alcoholism or writer's block. There are just obstructions and inconveniences with which the characters can either roll or stew around.

One Wonderful Sunday is a beautiful slice of life from a time that could be many different times in many different places. It's a peaceful movie about the peace that is always there for a given person, their journey being to find it. I have rarely seen a sequence so beautifully crafted on film as the two lovers in the empty, decaying concrete exterior auditorium, where one resolves to create the music they have been struggling to hear. There is hardly a handful of filmmakers living today that would think of such a thing. Kurosawa may have had the clearest, purest understanding of cinema out of any filmmaker.

ONE WONDERFUL SUNDAY (1947) has a simple little plot. A young Tokyo couple have almost no money to spend on their only day available for a date. It isn't long until the money is gone, as well as the young man's spirit. The ending is uncomfortably corny, you will squirm in your seat. There is signs of Akira Kurosawa becoming a great director. He makes us pay attention to the decreasing amount of money (much like he made us pay attention to the number of slain bandits in SEVEN SAMURAI, and his stab at Frank Capra style humor is pretty good. A must see for the student of this great director.

This is almost like a play and it is a deceptively simple story. Its about a poor couple who get together on Sundays for a date. Essentially, this film is about one of the dates. Nothing earthshattering happens, pretty much life happens. I was at first not convinced by it, but as the film progressed I began to listen to the characters more, meaning the story took on a deeper meaning. The two lead actors are superb, and one thing I do like is that especially Masako is played by a lady who is not beautiful but sweet and just attractive (if this film was remade in America tomorrow, Beyonce would be the star). Actually, its a shame this film wasn't re-made in the United States about 25 years ago. I could see Meryl Streep really flexing her always considerable acting muscles on a role like this. So, it is a film about a date, but its a film about hopes, disappointments and dreams. It gets better as it goes along. I recommend it, its worth your time.