Keisuke Kinoshita is perhaps among the least known, here in the West, of all the great Japanese directors and his films are not often seen here. His 1954 film "Twenty-Four Eyes" is one of his very best pictures yet it is hardly known at all now despite having won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Film, (it's sentimental story of an inspirational teacher is just the sort of thing that would appeal to an American audience though this masterpiece is altogether deeper). What distinguishes it from, say, a similar American film is not only Kinoshita's superb narrative but a wonderful feeling for landscape, (it's set on one of Japan's largest islands), as well as the beautifully naturalistic performances of all of the children. At over two and a half hours it never outstays its welcome despite most of its major dramas happening off screen. It's also one of the most subtle of all post-war Japanese films to touch on political issues as well as the War itself, (it begins in 1928 and covers a period of 18 years). It is also a film of considerable charm and is, finally, incredibly moving. This is a real discovery that should rightly restore Kinoshita to the very front rank of world class directors.
Review of Twenty-Four Eyes
