Bridge of Japan

Overview

Ichikawa's 1956 adaptation of Nihonbashi was the first to take the work of Kyoka Izumi— until then regarded as a writer of common tragic melodramas—and re-evaluate it as a tanbi-ha work of decadence, aestheticism, and intrigue. Ichikawa's film presents the tragic plot of the young geisha who is unable to enact her love for a man publicly in any way other than a histrionic story of torment, a heart-rending tale of lovers being crushed by fate. Instead, Ichikawa shows the contest of wills that transpires as two geisha, Oko and Kiyoha fight for the top spot in Nihonbashi, the pinnacle of the Tokyo geisha world. Nihonbashi is an elegant, if steely, exposition of manners. The young doctor, Shinzo Katsuragi, is the object of affection for both women, but appears to be more the choice reward for the plotting and thieving of these two early modern superwomen, than a lover they swoon over.

Details

Status

Released

Release date

October 1, 1956

Original language

Japanese

Spoken languages

Japanese

Countries

Japan

Production

Daiei Film

Cast

Natsuko Kahara,Kiyoko Hirai,Koh Sugita,Shōzaburō Date,Ayako Wakao,Teruko Kishi,Ryūji Shinagawa,Eiji Funakoshi,Kôji Minami,Mantarō Ushioand 12 more

Director

Kon Ichikawa

Writer

Izumi Kyōka,Natto Wada

Producer

Masaichi Nagata

Cinematography

Kimio Watanabe

Music

Koji Taku

Budget

Not recorded

Revenue

Not recorded

IMDb

tt0049554