• 新釈四谷怪談 Parts 1 & 2 (The Ghost of Yotsuya)

1/11/25 (Thurs)

Kinoshita’s two-part 1949 work is one of more than two dozen film versions of the evergreen Kabuki classic Yotsuya Kaidan since the silent era. The first eight minutes or so of Part 2 simply repeat the final minutes of the first half, so I assume that this was originally intended as a single film, broken up either for excessive length or just to make an extra buck (the second one opened in theaters just two weeks after the first). The original Kabuki version was also split into two days, mixed with scenes from Chushingura (it was a spinoff of the latter), so I suppose it follows tradition in a sense. In any case, the film could and should be reedited into a single 2.5-hour film and should certainly be seen that way.

The Japanese title is literally “Yotsuya Ghost Story: A New Interpretation”. New is right – for one thing, the ghost story has no ghosts. Oiwa appears only as a figment of the guilt-ridden Iemon’s imagination rather than an actual spirit as in the play. The film cleverly has Tanaka Kinuya playing both Oiwa and Oiwa’s sister Osode, so that the latter represents for Iemon a haunting manifestation of Oiwa after her murder.

The story follows the basic line of the original. Iemon, dismissed as a samurai after being falsely accused of a crime, longs for redemption. He leads a poor life with his faithful wife Oiwa. After saving a woman from thugs, he learns that she is the daughter of a rich merchant, whose connections can open the way for his rehabilitation. His evil friend Naosuke, who we learn later has ulterior motives of his own, pushes Iemon to divorce Oiwa and take advantage of the situation. He suggests Iago-like that Oiwa is cheating with another man and gives Iemon poison in order to get rid of her. Iemon cannot bring himself to hurt his devoted wife, but is worn down by Naosuke’s persistence and his own ambitions. When Oiwa dies, Iemon is wracked with guilt. While he succeeds in marrying into the merchant’s home, his remorse becomes all-encompassing, and he begins Macbeth-like seeing visions of his dead wife as he gradually goes mad. After a number of horrific deaths, the film ends with an oddly upbeat Osode and her husband looking toward the future.

An intricate story with numerous twists, credible subplots and real-to-life characters. The portrait of the meek and forgiving Oiwa suffering such abuse from her husband will not be to modern tastes and is uncomfortable to watch, but fits in the context of the times. Hisaita Eijiro’s script is an inspired adaptation of Tsuruya Nanboku’s play.

Kinoshita is at his considerable best here, with an interesting use of camera angles and shadows, unusually frequent super-close close-ups, and a dynamic attempted jailbreak at the opening in a single tracking shot. He maintains superb tension in the key poisoning scene as Iemon watches Oiwa start to drink the poisoned tea, put the cup down to get something, pick it up, put it down again, and so forth. The fire scene at the end is also exciting and exceptionally well choreographed.

One subtitle issue: Sugimura Haruko’s simple “Were you that surprised?” is translated as “You look as though you’ve seen a ghost”, which seems a bit too on the mark. Also, the word “asshole” is inappropriate in this period piece.

Uehara Ken, usually a doleful presence, gives a master class as Iemon with a portrait of great psychological depth in his complex feelings for Oiwa versus his desire to regain social status. This is easily among his best performances. Tanaka is predictably excellent, showing her versatility in playing both the docile Oiwa and the feisty sister Osode, and Takizawa Osamu is unforgettable as the wicked Naosuke in a role that could easily have gone full Kabuki. A tremendous villain. Sugimoto Haruko and Tamashima Aizo were outstanding as well as Osode’s maid and an old neighbor among an all-around strong cast.

Kinoshita is known for more sentimental fare, but that side of him was not evident at all in this skillful work. This is my favorite thus far of the many Yotsuya Kaidan adaptations. Highly recommended.