A young country boy leaves his village for Tokyo, where he begins to work as a stock trader. First part (of four) of the film adaptation of Bunroku Shishi's novel, Oban.
Acting
Daisuke Katō's physical comedy as the overwhelmed Ushinosuke.
Direction
Chiba balances Shishi's social critique with genuine warmth.
Production
1957 Tokyo recreated with documentary-level detail.
Director
Yasuki Chiba
Daisuke Katō
Ushinosuke Akaba
Chikage Awashima
Omaki
Seizaburō Kawazu
Kitani
Eijirō Yanagi
Setsuko Hara
Kanako Mori
Keiju Kobayashi
Policeman
Tatsuya Nakadai
Shin Don
Sadako Sawamura
Tane, Ushinosuke's Mother
Hiroshi Tachikawa
Chôjûrô
Eijirō Tōno
Chaplin-San
Norihei Miki
Katsu Yan
Akihiko Hirata
Ichirō Arishima
Takebayashi
Haruo Tanaka
Noodle Shop Owner
Gen Shimizu
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Bunroku Shishi's novel satirized Japan's postwar economic miracle while it was still happening—rare real-time cultural commentary.
This was Yasuki Chiba's final film as director; he pivoted to producing Toho's monster movies, including Mothra.
JP
