Our Neighbor, Miss Yae

Our Neighbor, Miss Yae (1934) is a great example of the shomin-geki (working class drama) from one of the unsung masters of the genre Yasujiro Shimizu. This slice of life comedy-drama doesn't have much of a plot we see two families living life side by side on the same street. The films opens with the older college going brother, Kietaro (Den Ohinata) is coaching his younger brother, Seiji (Akio Isono) about his pitching in the front yard. They break the window of their neighbor's house and we are introduced to high school aged Yae (Yumeko Aizome) and her family. One day Keitaro is being fed by Yae's mother when she returns from school with a friend and they remark how much he looks like Friedrich March (a Hollywood star from the 30s) and openly flirt with him. In a side room as Yae is changing clothes they loudly discuss their breast sizes-something which Keitaro finds unlady-like, and feels very modern for a film made in the 30s. Suddenly Yae's older married sister Kyoko (Yoshiko Okada) arrives at the household. She is unhappily married and wants to divorce her husband. She upsets the balance between the young people and Yae is pushed aside as her sister vies for Keitaro's attention. The brothers and sisters all go to a see a movie, (a Betty Boop cartoon), and then go out to eat where Kyoko over drinks and has to be looked after by Seitaro. Later Kyoko confesses her love to Seitaro who is not having it, which leads to Kyoko leaving the house while leaving behind a letter hinting at suicide. However, the film ends before we learn of her whereabouts, this kind of loose end reminds me of the films of Naruse. However, Shimizu is most often compared to Ozu because of his focus on the family. Yae's father is transferred to Korea (an ominous hint at what is to come for Japan), so her parents leave Yae behind to finish high school while living with her neighbors. The romance between Seitaro and Yae also seems to be on hold as she becomes a de facto member of the family. This charming prewar family drama is one of Shimizu's  best films, in fact, Akira Kurosawa listed this as one of his top 100 favorite films.