Floating Weeds (浮草）

Floating Weeds (Ukigusa)

Directed By: Yasujiro Ozu

Released: November 17, 1959

            Floating Weeds, also known as 浮草, is directed by Yasujiro Ozu, is a remake of his black and white silent film, A Story of Floating Weed. Floating Weeds follows a Kabuki theatre group. The group is visiting a seaside town, that is pretty well known to the leader of the group, Komajuro. Komajuro keeps visiting a particular place, until his mistress Sumiko becomes suspicious and begins to figure out what is happening. Sumiko tells their actress Kayo to seduce Kiyoshi by giving Kayo money. She obliges, but then began to fall in love with Kiyoshi. Once their relationship is discovered by Komajuro, it seems all hell breaks loose –  the Kabuki theatre group gets all their money stolen. By the end of the film, Komajuro and Sumiko are seen together on a train going to Kuwana.

(The shows the Kabuki group put on were based off the historical figure, Kunisada, Chuji of the Edo Period). Kunisada, Chuji, had similar like character to that of Robin Hood. He would help out those in need and take from the rich to give to the poor.

During the Edo period, Japanese pop culture grew in Kabuki and Okiyo-e (Japanese woodblock print). The class level during the Edo period had a strict system, with the top being the samurai, following that peasants, artisans, and merchants (Edo Period n.d). There was also a fifth type of class that were considered impure (Edo Period n.d).

Floating Weeds, has two women that perform within the show, so as viewer watching, this has to be filmed before late Edo Period. “acted only women…until late Edo Period, a restriction by the Tokugawa Shogunate forbid women from participating,” (Kabuki n.d).

In contrast to Ozu’s film Late Spring or Tokyo Story, this film is in color and the pace is quicker. However, unlike Late Spring, where the plot if rigid, Floating Weeds, seems to have a more cohesive plot. I enjoyed Floating Weeds, I think because with color more emotion was added, the pace was quicker, and it felt more like a film that a narrative peace. Still, it had Ozu’s style of showing the interactions of the Japanese daily lifestyle. In a much more organized way, it can be easily enjoyed.

           

Reference

“Edo Period (1603 - 1867).” Japan Travel News - Earthquake and Tsunami of March 11, 2011, www.japan-guide.com/e/e2128.html.

“Kabuki.” Japan Travel News - Earthquake and Tsunami of March 11, 2011, www.japan-guide.com/e/e2090.html.