This is one of my favorite "SLEEPER" movies. I found it while cruising the video store on a dreary gray spring day several years ago and I always recommend it to anyone who is looking for something different.
The story is well told and very well acted. It takes place during winter in Northern Japan during World War II. An American bomber is shot down and the 2 flyers parachute into an isolated region near a village that only has women, children and old men living in it as all of the young men are in military service. Pat Morita is the leader of the village and lives with his granddaughter. The village needs much work done and it is decided to keep the Americans and have them to some of the chores in the village. The military is searching for them but the villagers hide them. The Chris Makepeace character falls in love with the granddaughter and the all Michael Sarazin character wants is to escape. The cinematogrophy is amazing - the starkness of a Japanese winter is breathtaking. I won't tell any more of the story so as not to sway anyone to or from this wonderful film. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to see a gentle sweet film. There is some minor violence but it is not gratuitous. And, remember, it is a film that takes place during a war.
The story is well told and very well acted. It takes place during winter in Northern Japan during World War II. An American bomber is shot down and the 2 flyers parachute into an isolated region near a village that only has women, children and old men living in it as all of the young men are in military service. Pat Morita is the leader of the village and lives with his granddaughter. The village needs much work done and it is decided to keep the Americans and have them to some of the chores in the village. The military is searching for them but the villagers hide them. The Chris Makepeace character falls in love with the granddaughter and the all Michael Sarazin character wants is to escape. The cinematogrophy is amazing - the starkness of a Japanese winter is breathtaking. I won't tell any more of the story so as not to sway anyone to or from this wonderful film. I highly recommend it to anyone wanting to see a gentle sweet film. There is some minor violence but it is not gratuitous. And, remember, it is a film that takes place during a war.