Good Morning

Good Morning [Ohayô] (Criterion #84).
1959 Shochiku Productions & Janus Films.
Starring: Keiji Sada, Yoshiko Kuga, Chishu Ryu, Kuniko Miyake
Director: Yasujiro Ozu
Available from Amazon.

Ozu's technicolor remake of I Was Born, But... features two suburban brothers, Minoru and Isamu, (Koji Shitara, Masahiko Shimazu) making a pact not to speak out loud until their parents buy a television set for the family. The boys are obsessed with that darned movin' picture box, and usually go to a neighbors' house to watch, because their father overheard a rumor that television will produce "100 million idiots". Shimazu is particularly adorable, and his favorite thing to say is "I love you!" in English. Meanwhile, the neighbors in the community are gossiping like no one's business, and wondering about the payment of dues to a neighborhood organization when they're not being disturbed by door-to-door salesmen.

Oh, and there seems to be far more references to flatulence in a movie from 1959 than you would've ever expected. This should be more than enough to make Good Morning the brand new favorite film for immature teenage boys and Dave Barry.

Viewers will notice that Ozu's filming style consists mainly of static shots, and filming characters head on during conversations. That camera doesn't move a centimeter, which some people may find disorientating.

Recommended movie. Now be quiet.