BBBB.5
(out of 5)
Yasujiro Ozu remakes his delightful silent film I Was Born, But… with equally adorable results. Once again it revolves around the antics of two impish brothers, only in this version their great desire is to be the owners of a television set. Their family believes television to be a thing of unimportance, distraction from their studies and unnecessary for their development, but the boys insist and eventually take their parents on in a battle of wills. Full of the emotional resonance that populates all of Ozu’s wonderful films, this one also features his trademark gorgeous cinematography and hilarious characterizations. The work with the children is wonderful (not as carefree as in the original version, but still up there), and the screenplay, with its commentary on the modernization of the new Japan, is impeccable.
Directed by Yasujiro Ozu
Screenplay by Kogo Noda, Yasujiro Ozu
Cinematography by Yuharu Atsuta
Produced by Shizuo Yamanouchi
Music by Toshiro Mayuzumi
Production Design by Tatsuo Hamada
Film Editing by Yoshiyasu Hamamura
