Wikipedia

The Gate of Youth (1981 film)

The Gate of Youth (Japanese: 青春の門, Hepburn: Seishun no mon) is a 1981 Japanese film co-directed by Kinji Fukasaku and Koreyoshi Kurahara. A Kurahara-directed sequel titled Seishun no mon: Jiritsu hen (青春の門: 自立篇, transl. The Gate of Youth Part 2) was released in 1982.[1]

The Gate of Youth
Theatrical poster
Directed byKinji Fukasaku
Koreyoshi Kurahara
Written by
Based onThe Gate of Youth by Hiroyuki Itsuki
Cinematography
Music by
Release date
  • 1981, 1982 (1981, 1982)
Running time
  • 277 minutes (both parts)
  • 140 minutes (Part 1)
  • 137 minutes (Part 2)
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Both films are based on a story by Hiroyuki Itsuki that was originally serialized in the magazine Shukan Gendai in 1969–70. The same story inspired a 1975 film of the same name, which itself received a 1977 sequel (also titled Seishun no mon: Jiritsu hen), as well as three separate television productions in 1976-77 (TBS), 1991 (TV Tokyo), and 2005 (TBS).[2]

Plot

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Ibuke Shinsuke is the son of a miner working at Chikuo coalfield near Mt. Kaharu, northwest of Tagawa, Fukuoka. In 1938, his father Ibuki Juzo takes his lover Tae from her patron Hanawa Ryugoro, boss of the Hanawa yakuza gang. The two fight over her until the fight is broken up. A while later, Juzo and his team plan to fight Hanawa and his men until they hear that the mine has been flooded. Juzo orders everyone to assist in the rescue efforts, and he is killed while attempting to blast part of a tunnel to save some Korean miners.

In 1944, Tae kicks Shinsuke out of the house when he and his friends gang up on a Korean boy named Kumana. He later visits Kumana alone and challenges him to a duel, which ends in a draw. Kumana's father Kanayama Shuretsu, whose real name is Kim Chu-ryol, tells Shinsuke and Tae that Juzo saved his life in the mine collapse and gives them a large portion of meat as a gift. Tae develops feelings for Mr. Kanayama, who is drafted into the war.

When the war ends, the miners tie up a mine manager, who confesses that soldiers shot miners trying to escape from the collapse years earlier. Meanwhile, Mr. Kanayama returns from the war and meets with Tae. Hanawa becomes a mentor to Shinsuke and lets him ride on the back of his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. He also gives Tae some money and invites them to live with him in Iizuka, but Tae refuses. She also rejects an offer to become the mistress of one of her superiors at the mine.

Eventually, the Korean miners enter the mine office and demand equal pay to the Japanese miners. When the police are called in, a riot ensues. Hanawa, now owner of the mine, brings in additional men to fight the miners. Mr. Kanayama injures Hanawa during the fight, then hides in Tae's house. When the other miners arrive to turn him in to the police, Tae gives Kanayama the gun that Juzo left for Shinsuke, allowing him to escape. Later, Tae begins coughing up blood from working in the mine. Hanawa helps her, but she is eventually put into a hospital to treat her condition. Meanwhile, Shinsuke moves to Iizuka, where he attends school.

In 1950, Shinsuke is scouted by the baseball coach Mr. Hirano as he is about to enter high school. In 1952, Shinsuke's childhood friend Orie and her mother visit Tae in the hospital. Shinsuke arrives on a motorcycle given to him by Hanawa, but instead of letting Orie ride with him, he takes his teacher Ms. Azusa to a record store in Hakata.

In 1953, Hanawa offers to marry Tae, but she rejects his proposal. Ms. Azusa quits and returns to Tokyo. Shinsuke visits Orie, who is now working at a cabaret in Kokura. His motorcycle is stolen, so he and Orie stay at a hotel where she sometimes brings clients. Orie takes Shinsuke's virginity, then encourages him to leave his past behind and go to university in Tokyo.

Hanawa is shot in the knee, and his gang suspects that the Korean miners are responsible. While investigating, Chota shoots at them but is captured. Mr. Kanayama tells Hanawa and Shinsuke that the Koreans did not shoot Hanawa, and the two take Chota back with them. In the end, Shinsuke finally decides to go to Tokyo; Tae dies the same night. He writes a goodbye letter to Hanawa and rides away.

Cast

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References

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  1. ^ "デジタル大辞泉プラス「青春の門 自立篇」の解説". kotobank. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  2. ^ TBS celebrates its 50th anniversary with a new version of "Seishun no Mon" and more. Japan Times, March 20, 2005. Accessed 06-03-2009.
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