Ozu and "Good Morning"

Awhile ago I wrote about watching Yasujiro Ozu's "Tokyo Story", and how I had to overcome my initial lack of interest to discover the beauty of his realistic cinema. I recently watched my second Ozu film, Good Morning, which has further cemented my appreciation for the social and familial elements in his films. In some ways it reminds me of the work of my favorite director John Sayles--I'll never forget the transformation that occurred upon viewing "Lone Star" in the theater--"this is what it's like to actually think in a movie!"

Except Ozu is a bit more subtle than Sayles--he keeps things simple and there is a certain brilliance behind all of his characters. "Good Morning" is actually kind of a comedy, complete with fart jokes (I'll get back to that). The majority of the film is spent following a pair of brothers who go on a vow of silence in protest to not having a television set. It's the late 50s and the neighbor's TV is beckoning them to watch wrestling matches, which clashes with their parent's desire for them to study. (This premise is easy to relate to--I remember having to earn enough money doing chores to buy my first Nintendo--but I suppose it was that much sweeter.) The small suburban community plays a big role in the film, complete with dirty rumors and false smiles. In the end I was a bit disappointed when the kids get their TV only because their parents wanted to do a favor for the man who landed a new job, not because they showed they deserved it by being responsible.

Oh yeah, and the fart jokes--the kids eat pumice stones which makes them emit the kindest farts ever heard on film.