Days of Youth

"Humans are beggars, they all want something"

Director Ozu made this film about two college buddies when he was 26 years old. Of his first eight films this is the oldest title to survive. Sadly, seventeen of his films before 1936 were lost and only fragments remain of a few others. Each of these extant films is a gift. With the exception of repeated use of architectural items in the intro and finale of the film, there would be little to suggest this was his film. Moving films were still in their infancy and young Ozu appeared to be experimenting with the medium.

Yamamoto and Watanabe are college buddies who don't take studying too seriously even with exams coming up. Yamamoto has met a girl, Chieko, who is knitting socks for him and later Watanabe meets her when he rents her his room. After exams many of the students and Chieko go to a ski resort. Under "I saw her first Bro" law, Yamamoto should have had first dibs on wooing her, but Watanabe uses every trick in the book, most at Yamamoto's expense to have time with her alone. In the end, the two boys fail at everything except maintaining their friendship and keeping their sense of humor about it all.

This was a challenging film to finish for me. The film was long for a silent film that didn't gain any traction until about 50 minutes into it. Watanabe was selfish, boorish, a moocher bordering on thief, and thoughtless to those around him. He acted like a rakish frat boy much of the time. Why Yamamoto stayed his friend was a mystery.

Nearly half of the film took place on a snowy mountain which had to be a record for outdoor scenery for the director. His later films felt more static and mostly took place in carefully composed rooms. This comedy involved pratfalls and movement walking up the mountain and skiing or falling down it. For the modern viewer it will make you more grateful for ski lifts. The later rigidity of the characters staring into the camera to say their lines was thankfully absent in this film. Though his scenes flitted by faster instead of the beautiful lingering shots he was known for, the movement was needed for the two energetic youth. The skiing scenes were well shot. The film was badly marred by salt and pepper pocking as well as some shadowing around the edges. I don't know if there is a restored version available somewhere but this film was definitely in need of some loving restoration.

Days of Youth was also in need of likeable characters to devote 100 minutes to, in the end the breathtaking views of the snow-covered mountain were the most interesting part of the film for me. Ozu would go on to develop a more polished film style and tighter and more meaningful writing. Everyone has to start somewhere and learn the ropes. For Ozu, I'm sure he found a deeper interest in the unorthodox friendship between oddballs, I just couldn't see it.

6/22/23

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