Idiot
"Hakuchi" (1951)
| Title: | Idiot |
| Descriptor: | A man named Kameda has returned from the war, specifically a psychiatric hospital. He is an odd sort, too good, too honest, like an idiot or a saint - hard to tell which one. He comes to Hokaido, to visi Ono-his relative to find a living. He finds the town tord by one woman, her beauty, but also her hate, Natsume Taeko. Kameda is drawn to her, not becuase of the her beauty, but becuase of her melecholy. He wants to draw her out of her sadness, for "she has suffered enough for one lifetime." Among her suitors, is Akema (I think), played by Mifune. He is filled with the same hate as Taeko - they're almost perfect for each other - if it weren't for Kameda's goodness, they would have killed each other through their mutual hatred and passion long ago. Yet, Kameda, in his odd and innocent manner, seeks to draw out the good in the community - but the community seeks to project their ill intentions onto him. A tragid story, where good does not necessarily triumph over humanity's selfishness. This is Kurosawa's adaptation from Dostoevsky's play |
| Date Watched: | July 7, 2001 (or somewhere around then) |
| Comments: | Transposing Russia to Hokaido was brilliant - but this film was a bit tedious to watch. But in retrospect, perhaps it is because like the community members of that Hokaido village, I tire of the innocence and unchanging good intentions of Kameda. No matter how many people hurt him, or misunderstand him, he always takes the blame onto his "idiocy" and seeks to mend the hurts. How can one tolerate so much? Furthermore, how can two sides, Kameda and the villagers be so obstinant in their thinking? This story told of the tendancy of communities to shut out that which could have been a liberator, and make it into a destructive force. Who is then at fault, the well intentioned saint, who could not see that the community wanted to be left in its decrepit state, or the community, who refused to chage? |
