The Sea Is Watching is a film directed by Kei Kumai, based on a screenplay by Akira Kurosawa. It's the story of a geisha house set in the 19th century Japan, where the new world is slowly seeping in, but where the samurai still rule and old traditions and beliefs still hold firm.
The story is told in two distinct parts, both of them focusing on one particular geisha, Oshin (Nagiko Tono), and two of her customers, one of them a samurai seeking a hiding place, the other a man down on his luck in need of a sympathetic ear. There is some bleed-over from one story to the other, but years could easily have passed within the story.
What I like the most about this film is its vibrancy. The culture on display with colourful kimonos, richly furnished geisha houses, the streets brimming with life. I would enjoy this film even if I watched it on mute or without subtitles.
And the two stories told are also enjoyable. All the different characters have distinct personalities, from the different geisha to the customers, some of them genteel, others leaning towards monstrous. There were some side plots that I didn't think got enough attention - Oshin's remaining family for example - but it felt true to life.
Not quite as good as it probably would have been had it also been directed by Kurosawa, but I think Kumai honoured his work with his direction. Definitely worth a watch.
The story is told in two distinct parts, both of them focusing on one particular geisha, Oshin (Nagiko Tono), and two of her customers, one of them a samurai seeking a hiding place, the other a man down on his luck in need of a sympathetic ear. There is some bleed-over from one story to the other, but years could easily have passed within the story.
What I like the most about this film is its vibrancy. The culture on display with colourful kimonos, richly furnished geisha houses, the streets brimming with life. I would enjoy this film even if I watched it on mute or without subtitles.
And the two stories told are also enjoyable. All the different characters have distinct personalities, from the different geisha to the customers, some of them genteel, others leaning towards monstrous. There were some side plots that I didn't think got enough attention - Oshin's remaining family for example - but it felt true to life.
Not quite as good as it probably would have been had it also been directed by Kurosawa, but I think Kumai honoured his work with his direction. Definitely worth a watch.