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Reviews of the Best Pictures in 1936
JINSEI GEKIJO (The Theatre of Life)
A Nikkatsu Production
“The Theatre of Life” possesses certain features which deserve consideration from two angles. Needless to say, this is with particular reference to Japanese motion pictures. In the first place, up to now there has been practically no such a thing in Japanese film plays as a hero with the stamp of character. There have been a variety of roles which called for types, but rarely one which steadily developed into a character that stood out as a human being. To be sure, we have had a few screen plays that — overlooking such deficiencies which result from poor equipment and machinery — may be called technical' ly excellent. But a production that has succeeded in giving us as good a characterization as this one is a rare thing indeed. It is impossible, however, to conceive such a character without the background of a period which enables him to develop his individuality. The hero of this film play lived in the Meiji era. The Meiji era was free from the dark shadows that hover over present-day Japan. It was an era wherein it was really possible for a young man from the country with a lofty ambition to go forth to the capital, and with the sole support of a poor family to study at the university, to be imbued with righteousness, or perhaps to suffer the pangs of love. Such a dramatic setting constitutes one of the reasons for the success of this motion picture. No doubt the Japanese people of today have discovered here a representative type of themselves and found a certain satisfac¬ tion in it. The father of the hero tells him to master the naniwabushi — the art of recit¬ ing dramatic pieces in song and dialogue — even if it were necessary that he neglect his studies; but fathers today do not say such a thing. Student movements pertaining to political affairs, too, have not been possible except in that era. Thus, the portrayal of the manners and customs of the Meiji era constitutes one of the fascinating features of this picture. Like the young hero of this story, the director, Tomu Uchida, has develop¬ ed it with an ambitious will and determination.
In the second place, in so far as the commercial end of it is concerned, this motion picture, having been taken from the novel by Shiro Ozaki, was not expected to prove a financial success; but contrary to the fears entertained, it produced gratifying results. The filming of highbrow novels became a fashion in 1936— a phenomenon of Japanese motion picture production in that year — and the success of this screen play was
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