Japan Foundation Movies

Title: Tora-san My Uncle
Date: 6 August, Saturday
Time: 4:30pm
Venue: Malaysia Tourism Centre (MTC)

Color / Wide / 1990 / 108 min. / Shochiku

Director: Yoji Yamada

Cast:
Kiyoshi Atsumi, Chieko Baisho, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Kumiko Goto, Gin Maeda

Well-intentioned, kindhearted but awkward Tora-san makes one of his periodic visit to his sister and her family in Tokyo.

His nephew, Mitsuo, is depressed because he failed his university entrance exam. So Sakura, Tora-san’s sister, asks him to talk to the young man. Willingly, Tora-san agrees, and takes him to a nearby restaurant to eat and drink.

There, he learns that one of the reasons Mitsuo is dejected is that he is in love with a young girl who transferred to a school in Saga, Kyushu, and therefore he cannot concentrate on his studies.

When the two return home that evening quite drunk, Mitsuo’s family is angry, and after having words with his brother-in-law, Hiroshi, the angry Tora-san leaves the house.

Mitsuo continues to pine for Izumi, the girl in Saga, and after a quarrel with his parents, leaves home to try to find her. After obtaining her address from her mother, the owner of a bar, he sets out for Kyushu on his motorbike.

Izumi, living with relatives, is happy to see him, and arranges economical lodging for him. To the surprise of both himself and his uncle, he is to share a room with Tora-san.

After contacting his parents, Tora-san lets himself be persuaded to visit Izumi’s home. Everything goes well until her bad-tempered uncle returns. A strict disciplinarian, he disapproves of his niece riding around with a young man from Tokyo.

Mitsuo makes up his mind to return to Tokyo, even though his uncle is spending the night at a hot spring with Izumi’s grandfather. After making his proper thanks to Izumi’s family and Izumi herself at school, Tora-san once again sets off on yet another journey.

The New Year’s holiday arrives, and Mitsuo is still glum about Izumi - only to find that she has come from Saga to visit her father: and him.



Title: Tora-san to the Rescue
Date: 20 August, Saturday
Time: 4:30pm
Venue: Malaysia Tourism Centre (MTC)

Color / Vista / 1995 / 110 min. / Shochiku

Director: Yamada Yoji

Cast:
Atsumi Kiyoshi, Asaoka Ruriko, Yoshioka Hidetaka, Goto Kumiko, Baisho Chieko,
Maeda Gin, Shimojo Masaki, Misaki Chieko, Natsuki Mari, Tanaka Kunie, Dazai Hisao,
Sato Gajiro


As he usually does, Kuruma Torajiro continues to wander around the country selling knick-knacks at fairs as his family in Tokyo’s Shibamata worries about his whereabouts. Months have passed with no word from Tora when Sakura, his sister, just happens to watch a TV program on the recovery after the earthquake in Kobe. To her shock, there on screen is Tora leading volunteer activities and standing next to none other than Prime Minister Murayama. Soon thereafter a resident of Nagata Ward in Kobe comes calling on the Kuruma house to convey his thanks for all Tora’s help and to tell Sakura that Tora has once more set out on the road due to yet another failed love affair.

In the meantime, Sakura’s son Mitsuo has his own problems. Izumi, the girl whom he’s secretly loved for years comes visiting Tokyo to tell him that she might get married. Her confession seems to be a test of Mitsuo’s feelings, but in true Tora fashion, all he can do is congratulate her. Hurt, Izumi returns to Nagoya to get ready for the wedding, which will take place in Tsuyama, Okayama prefecture. But, on the day of the very fancy wedding, the boy who determined to blocs Izumi’s car to the ceremony is none other than Mitsuo. The wedding is ruined and Mitsuo is run out of town.

He wanders down south as far as he can go until he arrives on the semi-tropical island of Amami Oshima. Penniless, he is saved by a beautiful bar madam named Lily who takes him back to her beach side home. There he finds none other than Uncle Tora, who is a long time friend of Lily’s. After Mitsuo explains his predicament, Tora scolds him for not giving up in a more gentlemanly fashion, Lily urges him to tell Izumi what he really feels. He soon gets that chance when Izumi, who cancelled the marriage and went out in search for Mitsuo, turns up on the island. When she asks why he did such a thing, he finally blurts out, “Because I love you!”

With the young lovers united, what will happen to Tora and Lily? Tora has secretly loved Lily for ages, but never can seem to tell her his feelings. The two visit Shibamata to the thrill of all who think Tora finally may get married, but soon get into a fight that prompts Lily to decide to leave. When Sakura offers to take her to the station, Tora steps in and says he will do it himself. Asked by Lily in the cab how far he will take her, Tora insists, “I always take a woman to her doorstep”.

On New Year’s Day, however, a card from Lily arrives at Sakura’s house. It seems that after staying together for a few months, Tora and Lily again parted after a fight. Back in Kobe, Tora shows up once more to give his greetings to everyone he helped.