Director
Masahiro Shinoda
Leading Actors/Actresses
Kichiemon Nakamura and Shima Iwashita
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Hosei Komatsu, Yusuke Takita, and Kamatari Fujiwara
Genre
Drama-Romance
Language
Japanese
Awards
Nominated for no significant awards.
Date of Release
On May 24th, 1969 in Japan and February 11th, 1970 in the U.S.
Producer
Masahiro Shinoda and Masayuki Nakajima
Setting and Context
Japan
Narrator and Point of View
Shown from a third-person point of view
Tone and Mood
Lustful, Romantic, Violent, Chaotic, Solemn, and Creative
Protagonist and Antagonist
Jihei and Koharu (Protagonists) vs. Tahei (Antagonist)
Major Conflict
Jihei and Koharu's struggle to maintain their romance despite challenges from people like Tahei and secondarily, society itself (and the expectations it puts on people)
Climax
When Jihei and Koharu eventually kill themselves
Foreshadowing
Jihei and Koharu's ultimate suicide is foreshadowed quite early on -- and often -- in the film.
Understatement
The extent to which society challenges Jihei and Koharu's romance is understated throughout the film.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
N/A
Allusions
To the play on which the film is based (The Love Suicides at Amijima: 1721), Twin Sisters of Kyoto (1963), popular culture, geography (mainly of Japan), and the films of Akira Kurosawa.
Paradox
Because of societal pressures and societal norms, Jihei and Koharu's love is paradoxical.
Parallelism
N/A
