Dear mmushrm,
When you reviewed this film several years ago, you stated that you would like an explanation of the ending of the movie - here is the pertinent portion of your original comment:
"Thats it, thats the ending. He sells the farm after fighting against it the entire movie. He sells the farm, after he regains his sanity. He sells the farm and sends the daughter in-law off after professing his love. HUH??? what did I miss?? Thats it???? Anyone else who watched this please explain the ending to me..."
By selling his farm and moving into a retirement home, the old man was forcing his daughter-in-law to move on with her life (which she had been avoiding ever since her husband died). Essentially, the old farmer was making his daughter-in-law accept his very unselfish gift - he was setting Noriko free (figuratively, not literally). When I realized this, I found it to be quite moving and very beautiful.
What did I base my conclusions on? Notice that it was made clear that the old man would have personally much rather continued with the status quo (living with Noriko on his farm):
1) Earlier in the film, the old man (Shunichi) stated that he didn't want to sell his property to the obnoxious guy who was working for the developers because he would be bored if he didn't have his farm to go work on every day.
2) In the last scene of this film, Shunichi wryly mentions to Noriko that he was not looking forward to moving to the retirement home and having to live with a bunch of old people.
3) The biggest clue regarding Shunichi's true feelings is when he begins to cry softly after Nuriko leaves his home for the last time (when her taxi arrives).
Also notice that before she leaves, Nuriko acknowledges the sacrifice that Shunichi is making for her (long-term) benefit by telling him that he is cruel and then following that comment up immediately by telling him thank you. In the short run, this unusual couple could have continued to run the farm together more or less as they had been (except that, presumably, they would have begun living together as a romantic couple instead of as in-laws).
However, Shunichi understood that realistically there would have been no long-term future in pursuing that course of action for either of them. Shunichi, despite his moment of clarity when he realized that Nuriko was not Bessie AND also that he loved Nuriko, had already been showing signs of senility for about a year. Sadly, his dementia will almost certainly continue to worsen (at an ever increasing rate) - Shunichi probably only had another 5 years or so of quality life remaining. On the other hand, since Nuriko is only 29 at the end of the movie, she probably has a good 40-50 years still ahead of her. By making Nuriko leave the farm, Shunichi was making her take the first step toward finding a new man with whom she could enjoy the rest of her life.
Mmushrm, I hope that my comments have helped you to better understand and appreciate what I consider to be a truly wonderful little piece of cinema.
Sincerely,
pike100
When you reviewed this film several years ago, you stated that you would like an explanation of the ending of the movie - here is the pertinent portion of your original comment:
"Thats it, thats the ending. He sells the farm after fighting against it the entire movie. He sells the farm, after he regains his sanity. He sells the farm and sends the daughter in-law off after professing his love. HUH??? what did I miss?? Thats it???? Anyone else who watched this please explain the ending to me..."
By selling his farm and moving into a retirement home, the old man was forcing his daughter-in-law to move on with her life (which she had been avoiding ever since her husband died). Essentially, the old farmer was making his daughter-in-law accept his very unselfish gift - he was setting Noriko free (figuratively, not literally). When I realized this, I found it to be quite moving and very beautiful.
What did I base my conclusions on? Notice that it was made clear that the old man would have personally much rather continued with the status quo (living with Noriko on his farm):
1) Earlier in the film, the old man (Shunichi) stated that he didn't want to sell his property to the obnoxious guy who was working for the developers because he would be bored if he didn't have his farm to go work on every day.
2) In the last scene of this film, Shunichi wryly mentions to Noriko that he was not looking forward to moving to the retirement home and having to live with a bunch of old people.
3) The biggest clue regarding Shunichi's true feelings is when he begins to cry softly after Nuriko leaves his home for the last time (when her taxi arrives).
Also notice that before she leaves, Nuriko acknowledges the sacrifice that Shunichi is making for her (long-term) benefit by telling him that he is cruel and then following that comment up immediately by telling him thank you. In the short run, this unusual couple could have continued to run the farm together more or less as they had been (except that, presumably, they would have begun living together as a romantic couple instead of as in-laws).
However, Shunichi understood that realistically there would have been no long-term future in pursuing that course of action for either of them. Shunichi, despite his moment of clarity when he realized that Nuriko was not Bessie AND also that he loved Nuriko, had already been showing signs of senility for about a year. Sadly, his dementia will almost certainly continue to worsen (at an ever increasing rate) - Shunichi probably only had another 5 years or so of quality life remaining. On the other hand, since Nuriko is only 29 at the end of the movie, she probably has a good 40-50 years still ahead of her. By making Nuriko leave the farm, Shunichi was making her take the first step toward finding a new man with whom she could enjoy the rest of her life.
Mmushrm, I hope that my comments have helped you to better understand and appreciate what I consider to be a truly wonderful little piece of cinema.
Sincerely,
pike100