Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family
Encyclopedia
is a 1941 Japanese film
directed by Yasujirō Ozu
.
, they must help pay off that company's debts. The family decides to sell off all their late father's properties and antiques, leaving only an old house by the sea. Meanwhile, the mother (Ayako Katsuragi) and the youngest daughter Setsuko (Mieko Takamino) would go and stay with Shinichiro and his wife. The unmarried second brother Shojiro (Shin Saburi
) takes the opportunity to move away from Japan to Tianjin
, China
(which had been occupied by Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese war
).
The mother and Setsuko soon clash with Shinichiro's wife, Kazuko. After some time, unable to bear with Kazuko, the two move to stay with Chizuko (Mitsuko Yoshikawa
), the married eldest sister. However, Setsuko's plans to go out to work are met with vehement objection from Chizuko, who finds the whole idea disgraceful (since they are an upper-class family). Chizuko also clashes with the mother over her grandson, who has been playing truant at school. Eventually Mrs Toda and Setsuko decide to move out to the unsold dilapidated apartment by the sea, instead of harassing Setsuko's second sister, Ayako (Yoshiko Tsubouchi), for a place to stay. Ayako and her husband are more than happy to let them stay elsewhere.
The death anniversary of the father soon arrives, and the family comes together for a ceremonial gathering. Shojiro arrives on time for the family dinner. However, he is shocked to learn that his mother and Setsuko are staying alone by the sea. He reprimands each and every one of his brother and sisters in turn sternly, rebuking them for not doing their part as children, and urges them to leave for home at once, which they do. After dinner, Shojiro asks his mother and sister to stay with him at Tianjin in China. The two agree. Setsuko tries to matchmake Shojiro and her friend Tokiko (Michiko Kuwano), who has come for a visit, but Shojiro runs off to the beach before she can get them to meet.
Cinema of Japan
The has a history that spans more than 100 years. Japan has one of the oldest and largest film industries in the world – as of 2009 the fourth largest by number of feature films produced. Movies have been produced in Japan since 1897, when the first foreign cameramen arrived...
directed by Yasujirō Ozu
Yasujiro Ozu
was a prominent Japanese film director and script writer. He is known for his distinctive technical style, developed during the silent era. Marriage and family, especially the relationships between the generations, are among the most persistent themes in his body of work...
.
Plot
The upper-class Toda family celebrates the 69th birthday of their father with a commemorative photoshoot at their outdoor garden. Unfortunately, shortly after the photo session, the father, Shintaro Toda (Hideo Fujino), suffers a fatal heart attack. After his death his eldest son, Shinichiro (Tatsuo Saito) announces that as their father had acted as a guarantor for a company which has gone bankruptBankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
, they must help pay off that company's debts. The family decides to sell off all their late father's properties and antiques, leaving only an old house by the sea. Meanwhile, the mother (Ayako Katsuragi) and the youngest daughter Setsuko (Mieko Takamino) would go and stay with Shinichiro and his wife. The unmarried second brother Shojiro (Shin Saburi
Shin Saburi
Shin Saburi was a Japanese film actor noted for his leading roles in a number of films by the director Yasujiro Ozu including Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family , Tea Over Rice , Equinox Flower and Late Autumn .-Selected filmography:* 1941 Brothers and...
) takes the opportunity to move away from Japan to Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
(which had been occupied by Japan during the Second Sino-Japanese war
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
).
The mother and Setsuko soon clash with Shinichiro's wife, Kazuko. After some time, unable to bear with Kazuko, the two move to stay with Chizuko (Mitsuko Yoshikawa
Mitsuko Yoshikawa
- Filmography :She played in 261 films:* * Takekurabe , English titles include: Adolescence aka Growing Up Twice aka Growing Up aka Child's Play *...
), the married eldest sister. However, Setsuko's plans to go out to work are met with vehement objection from Chizuko, who finds the whole idea disgraceful (since they are an upper-class family). Chizuko also clashes with the mother over her grandson, who has been playing truant at school. Eventually Mrs Toda and Setsuko decide to move out to the unsold dilapidated apartment by the sea, instead of harassing Setsuko's second sister, Ayako (Yoshiko Tsubouchi), for a place to stay. Ayako and her husband are more than happy to let them stay elsewhere.
The death anniversary of the father soon arrives, and the family comes together for a ceremonial gathering. Shojiro arrives on time for the family dinner. However, he is shocked to learn that his mother and Setsuko are staying alone by the sea. He reprimands each and every one of his brother and sisters in turn sternly, rebuking them for not doing their part as children, and urges them to leave for home at once, which they do. After dinner, Shojiro asks his mother and sister to stay with him at Tianjin in China. The two agree. Setsuko tries to matchmake Shojiro and her friend Tokiko (Michiko Kuwano), who has come for a visit, but Shojiro runs off to the beach before she can get them to meet.