Spring on the Islands
Kojima no haru
Japan
1940
88 Min
Black and White
Japanese
Synopsis
Based on the experiences of a woman doctor (played by Shizue Natsukawa) and much praised at the time for its humanist tone set in a militaristic era, the diary-like narrative shows her going around islands on the inland sea, and dispensing help and advice to her patients (including leprosy sufferers). Toyoda brings a social perspective to these anecdotes (as usual combining humor and pathos) and obtains near-documentary playing from his cast as well as making good use of the varied locations. [Winner of the Kinema Junpo award for Best Film.] —National Film Theatre (U.K.)
Director
Shirô Toyoda
Shirō Toyoda (豊田 四郎 Toyoda Shirō, born 3 January 1906, Kyoto, Japan – 13 November 1977, Tokyo, Japan) was a Japanese film director. Born in Kyoto, Toyoda moved to Tokyo in his teens and began studying under the pioneering film director Eizō Tanaka. He joined Shōchiku’s Kamata studio in 1924 and worked as an assistant director under Yasujirō Shimazu. He debuted as a director in 1929 and moved to the independent Tokyo Hassei studio in 1935, where he scored a hit with Young People and gained a reputation for directing literary adaptations with a humanistic touch. After a slump during World War II, he became one of the top directors at Toho (into which Tokyo Hassei had merged during the war), famed for his adaptations of literary works by such giants as Yasunari Kawabata, Kafū Nagai, Naoya Shiga, Jun’ichirō Tanizaki, Masuji Ibuse, and Ango Sakaguchi. He was particularly known for portraying weak men and strong women with a humorous touch, such as in films like Meoto zenzai (1955). His career… read more
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