The Elegant Life of Mr. Everyman

The Elegant Life of Mr. Everyman (江分利満氏の優雅な生活, Eburiman-shi no yūgana seikatsu) is a 1963 Japanese film directed by Kihachi Okamoto and based on the Naoki Prize winning novel by Hitomi Yamaguchi.[3]

The Elegant Life of Mr. Everyman
Directed byKihachi Okamoto
Produced by
Screenplay byToshiro Ide[1]
Story byHitomi Yamaguchi[1]
Starring
Music byMasaru Sato[1]
CinematographyHiroshi Murai[1]
Production
company
Distributed byToho
Release date
  • 16 November 1963 (1963-11-16)
Running time
102 minutes[2]
CountryJapan

Plot

Eburi is a low ranking salaryman who while drunk promises two magazine editors one day to write a masterpiece of a magazine article. Once he sobers up, he decides to write an article using his own life a basis, one that reflects upon postwar Japan and the legacy of World War II.

Cast

Production

The film was originally supposed to be directed by Yuzo Kawashima, but the job was passed on to Okamoto when Kawashima died.[4]

Release

The Elegant Life of Mr. Everyman was distributed theatrically by Toho on November 16, 1963.[2]

Keiju Kobayashi won the best actor award at the Mainichi Film Awards for his performance in this film and in Pressure of Guilt.[5][2]

Reception

The film was featured at the 2007 Berlin Film Festival as part of its Okamoto retrospective. The catalog wrote: "This masterpiece, overflowing with wisdom, represents the 'Kihachi touch'."[6] The Japan Foundation also selected the film as part of its 2019 touring film program, stating that "Featuring animation and audacious editing, this idiosyncratic and inventive film is a timeless treatment of life in postwar Japan."[7] A 35mm film print of the film is preserved in the collection of the National Film Archive of Japan.[8]

References

Citations
  1. Galbraith IV 2008, p. 205.
  2. Galbraith IV 2008, p. 206.
  3. "江分利満氏の優雅な生活". Kotobanku (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  4. Terashima, Masayoshi (2014). 岡本喜八全仕事データ事典 (in Japanese). p. 352.
  5. "毎日映画コンクール 第18回(1963年)". Mainichi Film Awards (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  6. "Eburiman shi no Yuga na Seikatsu". Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  7. "The Elegant Life of Mr Everyman". Japan Foundation. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  8. "江分利満氏の優雅な生活". 国立映画アーカイブ (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 February 2019.

Bibliography

  • Galbraith IV, Stuart (2008). The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-1461673743.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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