alone across the pacific (1963)

"alone across the pacific" is my first kon ichikawa, and was a highly positive experience. "alone across the pacific" tells the story of a young man that betrays his father's wishes and embarks on a journey taking him from his home of osaka to the shores of san francisco. the subtext tells of a young man that wants to break free from the shackles that society have deemed upon him, with the story of the journey being as metaphorical as it is practical, and one that most can relate to in some way. contextually the film message may strike deeper tho, with the plot being a slightly veiled look at the way in which japan as a nation was controlled to a large extent by the americans in the wake of the second world war. the scene in the passport office as well as the american sailers obsession with protocol would suggest this is the case.

rather uniquely, the film's structure follows the emotional plight of our unnamed protagonist. that is to say, that rather than as would usually be expected in this sort of film, wherein a person takes a journey of some kind, the joy doesnt come at the end, it comes at specific points along the journey. when our protagonist finally makes it to san francisco his happiness is hampered by the reality of what is effectively "the end".