Search All

Search by Title

Release year:
Production year:

Advance Search

Search by Cast/Staff

Advance Search

Search by Company/Association

Advance Search

Categories

Genres

Genres: Specify

1970

Kazoku

Where Spring Comes Late

家族

Release Date
October, 24th, 1970
Running Time
106 min
Genre
Feature
Color
-
Screening Format
-

[ Directed by ]

[ Cast ]

[ Staff ]

[ Production Company ]

SHOCHIKU

[ Distributor (Japan) ]

SHOCHIKU

[ Story ]

It is April. On a small island near Kyushu, western Japan, lives a coal mining family. When the company of Seiichi (Hisashi Igawa), the husband, goes bankrupt, he makes up his mind to leave the island and move to reclaimed land in Hokkaido. There he intends to start a new life with Tamiko (Chieko Baisho), his wife, Genzo (Chishu Ryu), his father, Tsuyoshi, his three-year-old son and baby daughter Sanae.
They start out, filled with expectations and fears and stop at the home of Tsutomu (Gin Maeda), Seiichi's brother. They have intended to ask Tsutomu to take charge of the old father, because they fear the severe weather in Hokkaido may be bad for his health. However, upon finding that Tsutomu is leading a poor life, they decide to take their father with them.
At Tokyo, Sanae becomes sick from fatigue and dies. The family continue their trip, with the baby's ashes.
Finally they reach snow-covered Hokkaido. After settling in their new house on reclaimed land, they have a small party to celebrate the end of their long journey. At night, however, the exhausted Genzo dies peacefully. The death of their father is the last shock for the married couple. But Tamiko encourages her disappointed husband, telling him that the spring is near.
Spring comes late in Hokkaido and it is June, when the grass is green and the flowers are in full bloom and Tamiko confesses she is pregnant.

【Quoted from Unijapan Film Quarterly 1971 14.1】

[ Contact (International) ]

SHOCHIKU CO., LTD.
International Sales & Licensing

Togeki Bldg., 4-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8422
tel: +81-3-5550-1623
fax: +81-3-5550-1654
E-mail: ibd@shochiku.co.jp
http://www.shochikufilms.com

Relative Titles

TORA-SAN, WISH YOU WERE HERE

TORA-SAN, WISH YOU WERE HERE (2019)

Director
YAMADA Yoji
Cast
ATSUMI Kiyoshi, BAISHO Chieko, YOSHIOKA Hidetaka

Film commemorating the 50th anniversary of director Yamada Yoji's beloved humanistic comedy series Tora-san. Features the marquee actor Atsumi Kiyoshi who passed away in 1996, and reboots the series after a 22-year hiatus with the first film since th...

Release Date
Dec, 27th, 2019
Am I Trying

Am I Trying (1969)

Director
YAMADA Yoji
Cast
ATSUMI Kiyoshi, BAISHO Chieko, MORIKAWA Shin

Torajiro (Kiyoshi Atsumi) from a poor family has a wild and untamed nature that only those born in like circumstances can understand. It is therefore easy to understand how he turned to the life of a racketeer. One day, he learns his parents have di...

Release Date
Aug, 27th, 1969
Kyoto Story

Kyoto Story (2010)

Director
YAMADA Yoji, ABE Tsutomu
Cast
EBISE Hana, USA, TANAKA Sotaro

An ambitious project by one of Japan's most acclaimed filmmakers, Yamada Yoji, as he collaborates with Ritsumeikan University students to make this film. Co-directed by Abe Tsutomu. Set in the shopping district in Uzumasa, famous for its Shochiku and...

Release Date
May, 22nd, 2010
WHAT A WONDERFUL FAMILY! 3: MY WIFE, MY LIFE

WHAT A WONDERFUL FAMILY! 3: MY WIFE, MY LIFE (2018)

Director
YAMADA Yoji
Cast
HASHIZUME Isao, YOSHIYUKI Kazuko, TSUMABUKI Satoshi

Third film in the "What a Wonderful Family!" series from director Yamada Yoji. This paean to homemakers depicts a family's plunge into chaos when faced with an emergency situation. The Hirata family have a lively household wi th three generations l...

Release Date
May, 25th, 2018