Keisuke Kinoshita's Jubilation Street tells a story of war but it doesn't focus on the soliders on the front, instead the film focuses an empathetic eye on civilians living on the outskirts of Tokyo. Following a small group of neighbors, Jubilation Street is without question a propaganda film used to boost patriotism, but it's also an effective melodrama. The main emotional weight centers around Shingo, a young pilot, and his pending proposal to his neighborhood girlfriend, Takako. Her parents, in particularly her mother, do not approve of her marriage, putting a wedge between the two lovers' plan. Shingo's plight is emotionally affecting but it also serves as a perfect parable for the japanese war effort. With World War II escalating, this tight-knit community must relocate from their homes and move to country, doing so the government can use the space for the war effort. Jubilation Street is a film all about the personal sacrifices everyone must make for the greater good of the country, doing so in a way that isn't particularly ham-fisted all things considered. It exposes the strain and stress that these circumstances have on the family unit, with an entire community coming together in harder times. Given the limited resources of the production, Jubilation Street is a well-made feature with a few breathtakingly directed sequences, most notably the scene where Takako learns of Shingo's death. Given that it's basically a propaganda film, Jubilation Street is a solid film, featuring resourseful direction and a modestly effecive melodrama.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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