"Kurutta Kajitsu" (Crazed Fruit) 1956, is a landmark of Japanese cinema that has more to say about postwar Japan and mid fifties movies in general than all the other films of that decade put together. Made by a fledgling studio director, Kô Nakahira, age 29 at the time of shooting, this is one of those inspired quickly made first efforts (shot in seventeen days) that turn out to be a small masterpiece. In a streamlined running time of 86 minutes Nakahira and his incredibly well chosen band of young actors say everything that has to be said, snd more, with no holds barred.
It's about a bunch of bored rich kids (The "Sun Tribe") who have motor boats and sailboats to amuse themselves with at the summer seashore near Kamakura. The dialogue amongst them is typical teenage putdown banter. Two brothers, the older a cynical fast talking know-it-all wise guy with an exceptional singing voice (Natsuhisa) and the innocent naive younger one (Haruji) both fall in love with the same elusively beautiful young woman (Eri) leading to a deadly case of sibling rivalry. Many scenes of water skiing set the pace and lingering shots on the faces of all three principles set the emotional tone throughout. Sex scenes while short and not particularly explicit are nevertheless hot for the time and still smolder today. One young lady sums a political discussion up by saying "We live in boring times. Let's eat".
The film is packed to the seams with youthful energy but also a certain sociological and political savvy.
Of the four principle actors, the two brothers, the older Yujiro Ishihara, was 21, and his kid brother Masahiko Tsugawa, in a most temarkable performance, was only 16. Mie Kitahara the catlike femme fatale loved by both was 23, and Masumi Okada (ice cool go-between Frank) was 21. This is practically a perfect film in the sense that hardly a frame could be excised or added without lessening the impact. Every shot makes its point unselfconsciously building to a smashing conclusion that leaves an unforgettable imprint. Mind boggling.
Forget about Kurosawa and Ozu. If you only see one Japanese film and want to really get some penetrating insights into Japanese culture this is the one to see.
PS. Tall gangling Yujiro Ishihara went on to become a major singing and film star on a level of popularity in Japan comparable to that of Frank Sinatra or Elvis Presley in the United States and married co-star Mie Kitahara in real life in a relationship that lasted until his death in 1987. Director Nakahira did nothing of note following this sensational debut.
Review of Crazed Fruit
