IKURU (LIVING)

Japan, 1952, 140 minutes, Black and white.
Takashi Shimura.
Directed by Akira Kurosawa.

Ikuru is a masterpiece by Akira Kurosawa. He emerged at the end of World War Two as a leader in Japanese film-making. In 1950 he made the classic Rashomon, a samurai film with four story perspectives each illustrating the truth or the untruth of the other.

Kurosawa emerged as one of the great film-makers of the 20th century. After Living he went on to make The Seven Samurai and a series of classic samurai films with Toshiro Mifune in such films as Throne of Blood, Yojimbo and Sanjuro (many of which were made into westerns like The Magnificent Seven and The Man With No Name series).

Kurosawa also made a number of contemporary-themed films, especially gangster films in the Japanese setting. In his later career, he made a number of very colourful films, using wide screen and Technicolor process for Ran, a version of King Lear, and Kagemusha.

Living is much more straightforward, despite the long running time. It focuses on a civil servant who discovers he has terminal cancer and thinks that he has not done anything much in his life. He is somewhat alienated from his son. However, he begins to have a reappraisal of his life, walks the city, tries to meet people, becomes more self-assertive even to bargaining in the deputy mayor’s office for a park to be built for the poor. When he dies, his co-workers also reappraise his life, see that he did something with it in his final months – and determine to do something for themselves.

The film is an appreciation of the value of life, life and its meaning, taking responsibility – and thus achieving something, no matter how small. The film is made up of a great number of significant short episodes and detail, especially in the scenes where he goes to a bar and sings, argues with the mayor …

l. What was the culminating impact of this film in its presentation of the reality of living?

2. This is considered a classic film. Why did it appeal?

3. Comment on the effectiveness of the structure of the film; our knowledge about the x-rays and the main character, the presentation of the person and his associates. the death, the flashback and searching for truth technique, the culmination and death of the main character? The reilisa and then the relative searching for twath?

4. How much sympathy did the audience have for Mr Watanabe? Why? How attract. ive was the performance of the main character? Why? What insight into the character did the performance give?

5. The meaning of Watanabe’s life; the presentation of his drudgery in the office, the detail, his nickname of ‘the mummy’, the significance of his flashbacks about his wife and his relationship to her, the poignancy cy of these? his relationship with his son and daughter-in-law, his sacrificing himself for his son, thinking that this was a waste of effort, the son and daughter's talk about him in his absence his reactions to their criticism. the fact that he was so vulnerable and could be hurt?

6, The impact of his visit to the doctor? The dramatic significance of the patients explanation of doctors talk? The over powering fear when the doctor spoke to him in double talk? The impact of being told one had cancer?

7. What realization did Watanabe gain about the quality of living? Why did it take the prospect of death to teach him how to live?

8. The significance and style of photography in his drinking and being away from work. his encounter with the man in the bar, his explanation of his woes, the response that he gained. the night on the town with the people and the gambling the poker machine? How happy was he during this period? Was it an attempt at life but at little value? His reactions the next morning?

9. How did the film communicate people's reactions to him? The comments on his drinking and spending, his time away from the office the presentation of people gossiping and backbiting? The importance of this for audience reaction?

10. How significant was the young girl for the film? Her happiness and innocence? The impact on Watanabe? How did she support him? How did this turn into fear with his obsession? Did you wish him to explain the truth to her? How supportive was she when she discovered the truth? The influence in his life for him to work for others? How ironic was the visit to his home and the suspicions of the son? The scandal with the brother? The false judgements on him?

11. How significant was the social criticism of this film? The presentation of Wantanabe and his dry work? Bureaucracy criticized? The filming of the office and the life there? The girl nicknames? The personalities of the worker and their work cramping their lives?

12. The satire and social criticism in the park project? The women being sent from department to department? How telling was this? The preparation its later being taken up by Watanabe? What impact did the project have on him? How did it give his life purpose and meaning?

13. Did you find the change of tone and style too abrupt with the information about his death? The effectiveness of this change of tone in others seeking the truth that the audience knew? How effective was this technique of hie funeral ceremony and the discussions? How did the film show it as a discovery of truth each helping tie other? The momentary of his good example?

14. How pompous were the mayor and his councillors? Their behaviour at the funeral? Their arrogance about the project? Their disregard of Watanabe? The criticism of officialdom implied here? How telling?

15. How impressed were hie fellow workers when they discovered the truth about Watanabe and the park? The impact of one life on others?

16. The importance of the man who believed in Watanabe? His continued faith in him. his impressions with the others? His later disillusion when people had mouthed sincerity but did not live it? The realism of this?

17. What was the impact of the truth on the son and daughter-in-law? How poignant and pathetic was the fact that they had missed tale in their father’s life?

18. The dramatic significance of the townswomen coming to mourn him? The reality of his achievement and influence in their lives?

19. What had Watanabe achieved in his life? The importance of the truth from the policeman? The visualising of his death? The tone of the song and its previous use?

20. The final images of the disciple and hie disgust at the workers going to watch the children and realizing Watanabe’s goodness?

21. How much insight into the reality of living did the film give? How valuable a film was this ?