DramaRomance

One Wonderful Sunday

Yuzo and his fiancée Masako spend their Sunday afternoon together, trying to have a good time on just thirty-five yen. They manage to have many small adventures, especially because Masako's optimism and belief in dreams is able to lift Yuzo from his realistic despair.

Release Date : 1947-07-01

Language :Japanese

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : TOHO

Production Country : Japan

Alternative Titles : One Wonderful Sunday

Cast

Character Name : Yuzo

Original Name : 沼崎勲

Gender : Male

Character Name : Masako

Original Name : 中北千枝子

Gender : Female

Character Name : Yamamoto

Original Name : 渡辺篤

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dessert Shop Owner

Original Name : 中村是好

Gender : Male

Character Name : Street Photographer

Original Name : 内海突破

Gender : Male

Character Name : Street Photographer

Original Name : 並木一路

Gender : Male

Character Name : Black-marketeer

Original Name : 菅井一郎

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dance Hall Manager

Original Name : 清水将夫

Gender : Male

Character Name : Overweight apartment receptionist

Original Name : 小林十九二

Gender : Male

Character Name : Waif

Original Name : Shiro Mizutani

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dancer

Original Name : Aguri Hidaka

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sono, the black-marketeer's mistress

Original Name : Midori Ariyama

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shady Ticket Man

Original Name : 堺左千夫

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bakery Owner

Original Name : Katao Numazaki

Gender : Male

Character Name : Apartment Superintendent

Original Name : Toshi Mori

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2023-02-12

Shortly after the end of WWII, a young - and pretty broke - couple try to spend their Sunday together. "Yuzo" (Isao Numasaki) comes across more as the half half empty sort of fellow, but his girlfriend "Masako" (Chieko Nakakita) quite the reverse as they realise they have but ¥35 to last them an entire day! This is not a day just for frivolities. The two are determined to find somewhere where they can live together, and their budget (or lack of) sends them into bomb-damaged and less sanitary areas of their city that the they would ever be prepared to consider normally. An encounter with some baseball playing kids; some damaged cakes; a would-be landlord; an ideal new home they could never afford (that looks as if it is made of balsa wood!) and some dancing all work with two really strong and engaging lead performances to create an almost magical illustration of their day together. They fall out, make up, separate; it rains (always seems to in Kurosawa films) and there is a lovely accompaniment from Schubert to help knit the whole thing together. As with so many real relationships, the use of dialogue is sparing and the use of gesture and implied meaning proves especially effective as the love story moves along - at times earnestly, at times humorously. I wouldn't say the characters evolve, nor does their love - it is much the same at the end as it was at the beginning, and that's also quite enjoyable to appreciate. This isn't really a film about anything distinct actually happening, it's an observation of young love that is trying to blossom, but there just isn't quite enough sunlight yet.