Twilight Saloon

                       
Director: Tomu Uchida
Year: 1955
Rating: 9.0
Aka - Tasogare Sakaba

If it had been another night, there would have been other dramas playing out, other stories to tell, different characters in the camera's eye but this is how it was on this night. Director Tomu Uchida pulls together multiple story lines in one night in one location. The Twilight Saloon. A restaurant and bar with live entertainment that attracts a cross-section of Japan economically, professionally and backgrounds. Even a few Yakuza. He is in a sense telling us the story of post-war Japan still finding its way. Those who have given up hope and those who who have it and are pushing Japan to the future. Those that feel the guilt and a younger generation that ten years after the war has moved on. Uchida had been working in Manchuria for the Manchuko Film Association when he was taken prisoner in 1945. He didn't return to Japan till 1954 and directed Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji, his first film in 14 years. He followed that with this film that sums up how he now was seeing Japan. Broken by its past but changing quickly, modernizing but still with a hold on tradition.



It is a marvelously humane film with a myriad of characters and as the night goes on they take a hold on you. You begin to feel that you are there witnessing all this - a part of their lives - a fly on the wall. Many of the dramas are short and unfinished - customers who come in - show themselves and then leave. Omitsu, a middle aged woman sitting with her husband suddenly stands up and yells at him "Have a nice life. You're only my husband because you're paying me monthly" and leaves. He follows her only to be reminded by a waitress that he has to pay his bill. He does so and quickly descends the stairs - neither to be seen again. How will that end you wonder. The patrons all go back to their drinks.




In a slightly larger vignette an elderly gentleman looking like the world is crushing him sits down and orders an egg-rice bowl. One of the other customers recognizes him and comes over and says Col. Onitsuka, don't you remember me. It's Kibe. I served under you. The old colonel brightens up, they talk about the war, his bravado but in the end he says now I am only a real estate agent and yells at all the non-martial music being played. Leftists parade below singing which infuriates him and Kibe. Eventually, he too pays up and leaves - not to be seen again. You probably can guess how that will end. These small glimpses into the lives of the patrons continue but it is a few members of the staff and Mr. Umeda who take up most of it.




The entire film takes place in the saloon over one night. It begins with all the female workers coming in from their staff dormitory and they efficiently and pleasantly get the place ready to open - everyone knowing their job. The customers start to walk in - each met with a hearty group welcome and seated. Their order is yelled by the waitress to the kitchen. Sitting at the end of the bar is the grizzled Mr. Umeda (Isamu Kosugi), a fixture in the bar who is the first in and the last to leave, slowly drinking and handing out wisdom, charity and gossip. This is his Cheers. As the night evolves he becomes the moral center of this small universe. At a certain hour the entertainment begins and music permeates the film from then on. Most of it is provided by Kenichi (Takuya Miyahara) singing everything from opera to Korean folk music and Mr. Eto on the piano. Sometimes one of the waitresses Yuki (Hitomi Nozoe) sings a few ballads. Occasionally the customers break into song. The radio plays a Hibari Misora song. Much later in the night Emmy (Keiko Tsushima) comes in for her striptease. They all have backstories that brought them here. That keep them here. This night their lives are at turning points.




It is beautifully shot in black and white and Uchida uses the camera to great effect as it moves around the room often in great tracking shots, up to the stage and into the dressing rooms - catching bits and pieces of dialogue and lives. The scene in which Emmy does her dance is remarkable as she moves around the room, flower stem between her teeth, Zorro mask on, the faces of the men alight in anticipation - she flirts and slowly dances - then sees a man in the corner who frightens her - he gets up moves towards her with a knife - the audience thinks he is part of the act as she moves back. I am so glad I came across this film and decided to watch it simply because I liked the title. It is the sort of film that can easily slip by, but shouldn't. Uchida of course was to go on to major success with his Miyamoto Musashi series on the famous Samurai. This is a quiet gem.