Yuzo (Isao Numasaki) and his fiancée Masako (Chieko Nakakita) spend their Sunday afternoon together, trying to have a good time on just thirty-five yen. They manage to have many small adventures, especially because Masako's optimism and belief in dreams is able to lift Yuzo from his realistic despair.
Kurosawa really did a fine job working in post-war Japan, capturing the stress and occasional optimism. Some have compared this film to the works of Frank Capra because of its sentimental overtures. That is interesting and quite possibly a valid connection. It certainly stands out as a different sort of Kurosawa.
I do love that he cast no known actors, with the exception of Ichiro Sugai, who would go on to appear in 140 pictures, including Kurosawa's "Stray Dog" (1949) and Ozu's "Early Summer" (1951). Whether this was intentional or just a reflection of the film industry of the time, I do not know.
Kurosawa really did a fine job working in post-war Japan, capturing the stress and occasional optimism. Some have compared this film to the works of Frank Capra because of its sentimental overtures. That is interesting and quite possibly a valid connection. It certainly stands out as a different sort of Kurosawa.
I do love that he cast no known actors, with the exception of Ichiro Sugai, who would go on to appear in 140 pictures, including Kurosawa's "Stray Dog" (1949) and Ozu's "Early Summer" (1951). Whether this was intentional or just a reflection of the film industry of the time, I do not know.