Two Juzo Itami movies viewed at the 2023 Hong Kong International Film Festival (Film reviews)

  

Hong Kong International Film Festival program information

(complete with "sold out" stickers) placed at fest venues

 

A Taxing Woman's Return (Japan, 1988)

- Juzo Itami, director-scriptwriter

- Starring: Nobuko Miyamoto, Rentaro Mikuni, Toru Masuoka

- Part of the Hong Kong International Film Festival's The Complete Juzo Itami Directorial Retrospective program

 

In what can seem another lifetime, I was a graduate student in Philadelphia.  Near the university campus, there was a video store that prided itself on having a wide range of VHS tapes for rent.  Although its international selection still was lacking as far as I was concerned (something that resulted in my finally heading over to Philadelphia's Chinatown in search of Hong Kong movies), it did have three Juzo Itami offerings: Tampopo (of course!) but also Minbo or the Gentle Art of Japanese Extortion, and A Taxing Woman -- all of which I devoured.

But it's only at this year's Hong Kong International Film Festival that I've viewed the last film's sequel, A Taxing Woman's Return.  But although there's a gap of more than 20 years between my viewings of the two offerings, I found the character of the tenacious tax inspector Ryoko Itakura (portrayed by Nobuko Miyamoto, Juzo Itami's wife and frequent star of his movies) to be easily recognizable -- and the work's stand-alone story easy enough to follow.

 

Still the only female in her department, Ryoko takes on Onizawa (Rentaro Mikuni), a "Chief Elder" at a religious cult with fanatical devotees which he uses as a front for his financial shenanigans which sees him in cahoots with corrupt politicians and goonish Yakuza.  While A Taxing Woman's Return is billed as a comedy, the portrait it paints of (then) contemporary society is pretty dark and unsavory.  More than by the way, Onizawa is quite the lecher -- attracted to schoolgirls even while outwardly subservient to his wife, who's the cult's nominal leader -- as well as white collar criminal.

 

Still, at least the tax department appears full of incorruptible individuals determined to do their duty.  Even the new guy, Mishima (Toru Masuoka), a graduate of an elite university who his seniors reckon will soon vault over them in rank and become their boss some day -- but who, in the meantime, gets assigned to be Ryoko's assistant.  

 

Over the course of doing so, Mishima gets put in unorthodox situations and learn that things don't always go by the book.  That same spirit of unorthodoxy courses through A Taxing Woman's Return; making for a movie that whose viewing can feel akin to being in a fever dream -- powered by a pulsating musical score that threatens to give one a headache even while also keeping one's adrenaline pumped!  Not an experience one generally expects of viewing a Japanese film but definitely one in keeping with one of Juzo Itami's idiosyncratic offerings!

 

My rating for this film: 7.5      

A-Ge-Man -- Tales of a Golden Geisha (Japan, 1990)

- Juzo Itami, director-scriptwriter

- Starring: Nobuko Miyamoto,Masahiko Tsugawa, Hideji Otaki

- Part of the HKIFF's The Complete Juzo Itami Directorial Retrospective program

 

After not having viewed a Juzo Itami film in decades, I proceeded to view two in two days!  Next up after A Taxing Woman's Return: A-Ge-Man -- Tales of a Golden Geisha, the next movie that the filmmaker made -- which, again, stars Nobuko Miyamoto: this time as Nayako, an orphan trained to become a geisha who develops a reputation as an ageman (i.e., a woman purported to bring good luck to the man she is near) after her first patron -- a middle-aged Buddhist monk (portrayed by Ryunosuke Kaneda) -- ascends to high rank and status soon after being with her.

 

A commentary on Japanese patriarchal ideology and Bubble era political scandals, A-Ge-Man -- Tales of a Golden Geisha also tells the story of a good-hearted woman in search of true love -- or, failing that, a man who will be good to her.  Although she goes on to have another elderly patron (who she refers to as "Papa"), Nayako seems set on getting a bank manager named Mondo (essayed by Masahiko Tsugawa) to commit to her.  Something that's difficult; not just because their first encounter was (hilariously) disastrous but, also, because he's got quite the roving eye and hands, and is lusted after by quite a number of very different women (among them: a rich man's daughter; a fur shop owner; and a homely female who regularly knits him gifts!).

Though the musical score in A-Ge-Man -- Tales of a Golden Geisha is less "in your face" than in other Juzo Itami movies, his fondness for sexual displays (including the bare breasts of his wife!), and revelations about the less savory and more scandalous elements of Japanese society are very much present in this work too.  In retrospect, it's easy to see how this incredibly daring director could ruffle feathers -- though, of course, it still is absolutely shocking that his cinematic work led to a number of attempts on his life (one of which, sadly, he did not survive).

 

At the same time (strange but true), Juzo Itami also can be adept at making characters that one would and should ordinarily find odious to also be affable and likeable.  This is the case with all three men who Nayuko is -- for a time -- an ageman for.  On the other hand, and perhaps pretty tellingly as well as scarily, the one individual who comes across as entirely despicable is, in the film, the one who appears to be destined to become the next Prime Minister of Japan!  

 

My rating for this film: 7.0