“Of Foxes and Hedgehogs: A Review of “Silent Ozu: Three Crime Dramas” is a thought-provoking and insightful exploration of the cinematic masterpieces created by the renowned Japanese filmmaker Yasujirō Ozu.
This compelling review delves into Ozu’s unique approach to storytelling, mainly focusing on three of his captivating crime dramas.
Through meticulous analysis and keen observation, the review offers a deep understanding of Ozu’s directorial prowess and the timeless significance of his silent films within the realm of crime drama cinema.”
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Silent Ozu: Which Animal Are You?
In the 1950s, philosopher Isaiah Berlin introduced the concept of the “hedgehog and the fox,” categorizing individuals based on whether they championed a single idea (hedgehogs) or embraced multiple perspectives (foxes).
Drawing inspiration, a comparison can be made between two generations of Japanese filmmakers: the prewar directors and those who emerged post-World War II.
The latter, including iconic names like Akira Kurosawa and Kon Ichikawa, were akin to foxes, valuing versatility and a broad range of filmmaking styles.
In contrast, the prewar masters, such as Kenji Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, and Yasujiro Ozu, were likened to hedgehogs, each developing a singular worldview and distinctive stylistic approach throughout their careers.
However, discovering a Criterion Eclipse Series box set featuring three silent Ozu crime melodramas challenges this notion.
These films, depicting wild nightclubs and gangster hangouts, raise whether the young Ozu, despite his later reputation as a hedgehog, exhibited fox traits in his early works.
Walk Cheerfully (Hogaraka ni ayume)
This early and relatively lightweight film, “Walk Cheerfully,” is nonetheless quite charming, serving as one of seven Ozu films released in 1930.
The central character, Ken the Knife, and his associates come across as non-threatening, almost treating crime as a leisure activity. The gang’s interactions are so comical that they appear more like a musical-comedy routine.
Interestingly, the emotional impact of the gang’s breakup when Ken decides to leave the criminal life surpasses his romance with Yasue. This portrayal emphasizes the gang’s familial bond and the disruptive nature of Ken’s departure.
At this stage in Ozu’s career, his distinctive visual style had not fully developed, as evidenced by the mix of high-angle and low-angled shots and the somewhat fetishized portrayal of objects.
Nevertheless, the film showcases the director’s burgeoning narrative proficiency, hinting at his increasing sophistication as a filmmaker.
That Night’s’ Wife (Sono yo no tsuba)
The initial primary sequence in “That Night’s Wife” showcases a thrilling office robbery reminiscent of Hitchcock’s style, with meticulous details adding to the suspense.
However, the plot turns unexpectedly, revealing the robber, Shuji, as a desperate, unemployed father stealing to afford medicine for his ailing daughter, Michiko.
When an undercover police officer arrives at Shuji’s home to arrest him, a narrative twist unfolds as Shuji’s devoted wife, Mayumi, holds the officer at gunpoint, demanding that he delay the arrest until morning to ensure their daughter’s well-being.
This role reversal sees the wife assuming the outlaw’s position while her “criminal” husband takes on the nurturing role.
Following this intense opening, the narrative unfolds primarily within the couple’s cluttered apartment, offering a poignant portrayal of poverty during the Depression era in Japan.
Ozu masterfully captures the confined space, employing dissolves and tracking shots to build tension, reminiscent of Hitchcock’s approach in “Rope.”
The film’s success in creating drama within the confined setting impressed the studio, giving Ozu a vacation as a reward on the condition that he returned with another finished film.
Dragnet Girl (Hijosen no onna)
Ozu’s remarkable growth in confidence and skill is evident in “Dragnet Girl,” a film that adeptly employs the iconic imagery of the gangster genre to create a visually stunning work.
The movie’s fast-paced style, with an average shot length of only four seconds, rivals the bravado of Joseph von Sternberg’s films from the same period.
Despite the flaws in the unrestored print, the film’s visual appeal remains striking.
The antihero, Joji, a failed boxer, distinguishes himself as a somewhat more complex character than the protagonists of Ozu’s previous works.
Rather than pursuing a glamorous dame, he spiritually attaches to Hiroshi’s innocent sister, Kazuko, while navigating a tumultuous relationship with his girlfriend, Tokiko.
The film’s allure is heightened by the portrayal of Tokiko, played by the iconic Japanese actress Kinuyo Tanaka, known for her later roles as ultimate female martyrs and self-sacrificing mothers.
Her depiction of a sexy and tough-talking gun moll adds an intriguing layer to the narrative.
As the plot unfolds, Joji, influenced by Tokiko, decides to leave his criminal life behind, but the prospect of one last job emerges.
The unexpected resolution of the story deviates from the typical gangster film trope, offering a departure from the anticipated outcome.
Notably, “Dragnet Girl” marks the only instance of a gunshot in Ozu’s extant works, adding a unique element to the director’s filmography.
Outlaw No More
In contrast to the archetypical gangster’s rebellious and defiant behavior depicted in Hollywood gangster movies of the 1930s, the protagonists in Ozu’s crime melodramas are portrayed as individuals yearning to reintegrate into the social order.
Ozu’s films depart from the romanticized portrayal of social rebels, emphasizing the protagonists’ innate decency and eventual surrender to the impulse to return to societal norms.
While the role of women in guiding the protagonists back to the social order aligns with a Hollywood cliché, Ozu’s focus on family ties over romantic love sets his narratives apart.
The intricate relationships between characters, such as Ken and his gangster “brother” Senko in “Walk Cheerfully” or the sibling conflict in “Dragnet Girl,” underscore the director’s emphasis on familial bonds as opposed to erotic connections.
Despite the stylistic differences and American pop culture references in these films, they harmonize thematically with Ozu’s broader body of work.
Ozu’s modest approach to filmmaking, likening himself to a maker of tofu who consistently crafts intimate domestic dramas, reflects his dedication to his preferred genre.
Emphasizing his commitment to his artistic inclinations, Ozu’s comparison to a “tofu maker” highlights his pride in his distinctive storytelling style, akin to a hedgehog’s singular focus.
This sentiment conveys his steadfast determination to create films aligned with his artistic vision, irrespective of prevailing trends or expectations.
The three DVDs (Criterion Eclipse Series 42) are stored in separate plastic storage cases within the simple but attractive cardboard packaging. (As of now, the individual films are not being sold separately.) As Eclipse is Criterion’s’ “budget” line, there are no commentaries or other frills on the DVDs, just chapter divisions and the option of removing the very readable English subtitles. The only “extras” in this set are the lively liner notes for each film by Michael Koresky, which appear inside each keep case. The prints used are presumably the best available, with no attempt made at restoration. Thus, all three films contain scratches, dirt, fading, and other flaws. These are most distracting in the case of Walk Cheerfully. However, the prints for That Night’s’ Wife and (notably) Dragnet Girl are surprisingly good, considering each movie is as old as a human lifetime. Overall, this set is very strongly recommended not only to admirers of Yasujiro Ozu and Japanese cinema but also to fans of the gangster genre and 1930s cinema in general.
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