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 by | Kihachi Okamoto |
| Produced by |
|
| Screenplay by | Toshiro Ide[1] |
| Story by | Hitomi Yamaguchi[1] |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Masaru Sato[1] |
| Cinematography | Hiroshi Murai[1] |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Toho |
Release date |
|
Running time | 102 minutes[2] |
| Country | Japan |
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
- Keiju Kobayashi, as Eburi
- Michiyo Aratama, as Natsuko, his wife
- Eijirō Tōno, as Meiji, his father
- Yuriko Hanabusa, as Miyo, his mother
- Tatsuyoshi Ehara, as Hane, his neighbor
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
- Galbraith IV 2008, p. 205.
- Galbraith IV 2008, p. 206.
- "江分利満氏の優雅な生活". Kotobanku (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- Terashima, Masayoshi (2014). 岡本喜八全仕事データ事典 (in Japanese). p. 352.
- "毎日映画コンクール 第18回（1963年）". Mainichi Film Awards (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- "Eburiman shi no Yuga na Seikatsu". Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- "The Elegant Life of Mr Everyman". Japan Foundation. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- "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)