Early Summer
The films of Yasujirō Ozu are noted for their character development and honesty. There was perhaps no greater filmmaker when it came to capturing minimalistic conversation and stories that simply exist in moments without pushing forward with too much action or movement. Ozu’s Noriko trilogy clearly emphasized his feminism, with the character of Noriko featured with a tremendous independent streak.
The second film in the Noriko trilogy is 1951’s Early Summer (the first film is Late Spring and the final picture is Tokyo Story). It is not essential to see the films in order, nor do they comprise a traditional trilogy as we might understand it in modern context. They do, however, feature the character of Noriko (Setsuko Hara).
Early Summer finds Noriko as a 28-year-old woman in danger of becoming an old maid. She is anything but concerned, however, and lives out her days with her friends enjoying food and expensive cake – it’s almost like a 1950s-era Japanese Sex and the City. Noriko works as a secretary in Tokyo and lives with the extended Mamiya family. Her parents, Shukichi (Ichirô Sugai) and Shige (Chieko Higashiyama) spend considerable time reflecting on their lives and the future.
Noriko’s brother, Koichi (Chishu Ryu), is a respected doctor. He lives in the home with his wife Fumiko (Kuniko Miyake) and their two young sons Minoru (Zen Murase) and Isamu (Isao Shirosawa). The film opens with a visit from an elderly uncle (Kokuten Kodo) and a reminder that Noriko is at that age where she should consider marriage. She is matched up with somebody by her boss (Shûji Sano) and her family begins to pressure her, albeit gently, to marry the proposed suitor.
Noriko is an independent spirit, though, and soon enough discovers feelings for a childhood friend (Hiroshi Nihonyanagi). After impulsively asked to marry this friend by his mother (Haruko Sugimura), Noriko accepts and discovers that real love was right in front of her all along. Her family is bewildered but ultimately supportive of her choice, largely perplexed and concerned by the idea of her husband-to-be’s child from a previous marriage. This is unheard of, but Noriko is confident that she can handle the situation.
Early Summer is named such not because it is the season in which the movie takes place but rather because it is the emotional climate of the characters. This is a joyful motion picture, for the most part, and it resonates with optimism and vibrancy. Ozu tells a tale of independence and spirit, utilizing the exciting character of Noriko and the sound of her laughter as a guidepost to human happiness. She follows her heart and so shall we.
Early Summer is quite a balancing act for Ozu. While many of today’s modern pictures feature ensemble casts, this ambitious 1951 effort features a whopping nineteen characters in significant roles. With sensitivity, Ozu places each character in a significant spot. There are those dealing with the new approaching world and the cultural shift, while others simply deal with raising belligerent youngsters. There are meditations on age and meditations on youth.
Instead of having us figure out where the characters are going to end up and how everything is going to connect, Ozu simply lets the movie breathe. It becomes about the trajectories of character emotion more than about outcome. It doesn’t matter so much who Noriko will marry; it matters IF she will marry, though. Ozu plays with that distinctive difference through the film’s divisions, setting it up in the first act with the visit of the uncle and pursuing the natural emotional course right through the remainder of the picture.
To see an Ozu picture is to breathe deeply. Nobody captures the ins and outs of life quite like him. With Early Summer, a story about marriage, age, roles, and family winds up existing on screen without pretence and without acting. These characters, given existence by talented performers, are real and compelling. The film is an unquestionable masterpiece.
