I Flunked, But...

Plot

Takahashi is a carefree college student who spends more time at the local bakery flirting with the waitress, Chiyoko, than studying for his final exams. To ensure he passes, Takahashi and his four roommates devise an elaborate plan to cheat by scribbling extensive crib notes on Takahashi's shirt. The plan is inadvertently foiled when their well-meaning landlady sends the shirt to the laundry just before the exam, leading to Takahashi and his friends failing while their more studious peers graduate. However, the irony of their situation is revealed when the graduates find themselves in 'job hunt hell' due to the Great Depression, while the flunked students are allowed to remain in the safety of the university. Ultimately, the graduates end up envying the failures, who celebrate their extended youth by becoming the school's new cheerleaders.

Historical Background

The film was released in 1930, a time when Japan was reeling from the effects of the global Great Depression. The phrase 'I Graduated, But...' had become a popular catchphrase in Japan to describe the 'surplus' of over-educated but unemployed youth. This era saw a clash between traditional Japanese values and the rapid 'Westernization' of the urban middle class, often referred to as the 'Modern Boy' (moga) and 'Modern Girl' (moga) culture. Ozu captures this transition through the students' Western clothes, their love for American movies, and their rejection of traditional academic rigor in favor of a more relaxed, individualistic lifestyle.

Making Of

During the production of 'I Flunked, But...', Ozu was deeply influenced by the 'nonsense' (nansensu) genre of Japanese comedy, which blended slapstick with social satire. He worked closely with screenwriter Akira Fushimi to create a narrative that mirrored the anxieties of contemporary Japanese youth. Ozu was known for demonstrating every gesture to his actors rather than discussing their characters' internal motivations, a technique he borrowed from Ernst Lubitsch. The film's rapid production schedule was typical for Shochiku's Kamata studio, which functioned like a high-speed factory for short features. Interestingly, Ozu's favorite actor Chishū Ryū was initially nervous about his first major role, but Ozu's precise, gesture-based direction helped him find the understated style that would define his career.

Visual Style

The film features the early development of Ozu's signature visual style, including low-angle shots and a focus on 'connective tissue'—lingering on objects and spaces between scenes. Cinematographer Hideo Shigehara utilized a mobile camera more frequently than in Ozu's later static works, including tracking shots that follow the students through the campus. The use of American movie posters as background elements serves both as art direction and as a thematic layer, signaling the characters' cultural aspirations.

Innovations

The film is noted for its 'Lubitschian' symmetry, where visual gags and plot points are mirrored throughout the narrative. Ozu's use of 'graphic matches'—where the composition of one shot matches the next—is already evident here. The film also demonstrates Ozu's early experimentation with breaking the 180-degree rule, a technique he would later refine into a cornerstone of his unique cinematic grammar.

Music

As a silent film, it was originally accompanied by live 'benshi' (narrator) performances and a live theater orchestra. Modern restorations often feature new scores by silent film composers like Donald Sosin, typically utilizing jaunty, Western-style piano or small ensemble arrangements to match the film's lighthearted, collegiate atmosphere.

Memorable Scenes

• The 'crib note' scene where the students meticulously write answers on Takahashi's shirt, only for the landlady to walk in and take it away.
• The final sequence where the flunked students perform a synchronized cheerleader dance, celebrating their failure while the 'successful' graduates look on in misery.
• The scenes in the bakery where the students compete for the attention of the waitress, showcasing Ozu's talent for ensemble comedy.

What Critics Said

At the time of its release, critics praised Ozu's technical skill and his ability to blend American-style gags with Japanese social reality. However, some contemporary critics in 'Kinema Junpo' felt it lacked the 'social bite' of more overtly political 'tendency films' of the era. Modern critics, such as David Bordwell, view the film as a sophisticated exercise in visual symmetry and a testament to Ozu's early mastery of the medium, noting how he uses space and recurring motifs to tell a story beyond the dialogue.

What Audiences Thought

The film was a commercial success for Shochiku, resonating strongly with university students and young urban workers who saw their own struggles reflected on screen. The relatable characters and the humorous take on a dire economic situation made it a popular 'nonsense' comedy that provided both escapism and a sense of shared identity for the 'lost generation' of 1930s Japan.

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