Good Morning (1959)

 Yasujiro Ozu's "Good Morning"

When I first sat down to watch Yasujiro Ozu's 1959 film "Good Morning," I was under the impression that it was a direct adaptation of his 1932 silent film "I Was Born, But..." However, as the film progressed, I became increasingly aware that it was only loosely based on this previous film. "Good Morning" is completely its own thing entirely. 

The film centers on two young boys who start a silent protest after their parents refuse to buy them a television set. While all this is happening, there is drama between the various adults living in their neighborhood that extends from confusion on whether someone paid their neighborhood dues. This confusion leads to miscommunications and misunderstandings that are never truly reconciled. 

While "Good Morning" is a far more thematically complex film than its counterpart, I found myself being less emotionally affected. To me, Ozu continues his streak of powerful films that illustrate the humanity in domesticity, along with the socio-economic complications that come with modernity. However, I feel as though "I Was Born, But..." is far more stripped back and raw, allowing the viewer to feel these very simple sentiments more powerfully. 

That being said, "Good Morning" still manages to affect me. However, I noticed that Ozu felt far more playful in this film. This is evident given that a large portion of the film focuses on the turmoil of children and their difficulties in understanding adult life. However, the playfulness, especially all the farting jokes, really turned me off.