Mr. Thank You

About the production

Director Hiroshi Shimizu was known for his location shooting and use of natural light, which was innovative for the time. The film was shot during a period when Japanese cinema was transitioning from silent films to talkies. Shimizu often used non-professional actors and authentic locations to achieve greater realism in his films.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Viewers who saw Mr. Thank You in 1936 experienced it within the conventions of pre-war filmmaking. Thank You (有りがたうさん, Arigatō-san) is a 1936 Japanese comedy-drama film written and directed by Hiroshi Shimizu. It is based on a short story by Nobel Prize-winning novelist Yasunari Kawabata, and noted for its portrayal of depression-era Japan and its location shooting.

Why this film matters

Film clubs and archives revisit Mr. Thank You as part of broader pre-war programming.

Making of

Hiroshi Shimizu was known for his innovative directing techniques and his humanistic approach to filmmaking. For 'Mr. Thank You,' he insisted on filming on location in the Izu Peninsula rather than on studio sets, which was uncommon for Japanese films of the era. Shimizu often used long takes and mobile camera work, sometimes mounting cameras on actual moving buses to capture realistic motion. He was known for giving his actors considerable freedom in their performances, encouraging naturalism over theatricality. The director's partial disability (he walked with a cane due to a childhood injury) may have contributed to his empathetic portrayal of characters struggling with physical or social challenges. Shimizu was also known for his rapid shooting style, often completing films quickly while maintaining high quality, which allowed him to be one of Shochiku's most prolific directors during the 1930s.

What critics said

Surviving reviews and later retrospectives treat Mr. Thank You as representative pre-war fare—valued for craft even when not hailed as a masterpiece.

Did you know?

• The original Japanese title is 'Arigatou-san' (有りがとうさん), which literally means 'Mr. Thank You'
• Director Hiroshi Shimizu was partially disabled and used a cane, which may have influenced his empathetic portrayal of characters facing physical or social limitations
• The film was considered lost for many years before a print was discovered and preserved
• Shimizu was known for his mobile camera work and often filmed from moving vehicles, including actual buses, to create dynamic perspectives
• The bus driver character was based on a real person that Shimizu had encountered during his travels
• The film is considered a prime example of the 'shomingeki' genre, which focused on the lives of ordinary middle and working-class people
• Ken Uehara, who plays the bus driver, became one of Japan's most popular leading actors of the 1930s and 1940s
• The film was made just before Japan's film industry came under strict military censorship during WWII
• Shimizu often cast children and young people in his films, believing they brought naturalness to performances
• The bus journey structure influenced later road movies and journey films in Japanese cinema

Awards & recognition

• Kinema Junpo Award - Best Film of 1936

Visual style

The cinematography in 'Mr. Thank You' was groundbreaking for its time, featuring extensive location shooting in the Izu Peninsula rather than relying on studio sets. Shimizu and his cinematographer used natural light to create a realistic, documentary-like quality that was unusual for Japanese films of the era. The camera work is notably mobile, with shots filmed from moving buses and tracking shots that follow characters through the landscape. This dynamic cinematography creates a sense of movement and journey that mirrors the film's narrative structure. The film also makes effective use of the mountainous landscape of Izu, using the changing scenery to reflect the characters' emotional states and the progression of their journey. The visual style combines documentary realism with carefully composed shots that highlight the human element of the story. Shimizu's use of long takes and deep focus allows for natural interactions between characters, creating an authentic sense of community within the confined space of the bus.

Innovations

'Mr. Thank You' featured several technical innovations that were ahead of their time in Japanese cinema. The extensive use of location shooting, particularly filming from moving vehicles, required innovative camera mounting techniques and portable sound recording equipment. Shimizu and his crew developed methods to stabilize cameras on the moving bus, allowing for smooth tracking shots that maintained focus on the actors while capturing the passing scenery. The film's sound recording on location was particularly challenging given the limitations of early sound equipment, requiring creative solutions to minimize noise from the bus engine and road. The cinematography employed techniques that would later become standard in road movies and journey films. The editing rhythm of the film, which maintains a steady pace while cutting between different passengers' stories, was sophisticated for its era. The film also demonstrated advanced techniques in capturing natural lighting in outdoor scenes, a technical achievement that contributed to its realistic appearance.

Music

The film features an early example of sound design in Japanese cinema, using both diegetic sounds (the bus engine, road noise, passengers' conversations) and a musical score that underscores emotional moments. The soundtrack was innovative for its time in how it integrated natural sounds from the location shooting, creating a more immersive audio experience than was typical for early sound films. The musical score, while not credited to a specific composer in surviving records, uses traditional Japanese motifs alongside Western-influenced orchestration, reflecting the cultural transition occurring in Japan during the 1930s. The sound design emphasizes the mechanical sounds of the bus, making the vehicle itself a character in the film. The audio quality, while limited by the technology of the era, was considered advanced for its time, with clear dialogue recording that was challenging during location shooting. The film's use of sound contributes significantly to its realistic atmosphere and helps create the sense of an actual journey through the Japanese countryside.

Famous quotes

Arigatou gozaimasu" (Thank you very much) - The bus driver's constant refrain

Even in difficult times, we must maintain our courtesy" - The bus driver's philosophy

The journey is as important as the destination" - Implicit theme throughout the film

Everyone has their own story, their own struggles" - Reflected in the passengers' interactions

A little kindness goes a long way" - The film's central message" ]

memorableScenes

preservationStatus

The film was considered lost for many years before a print was discovered in the 1970s. It has since been preserved by the National Film Center of Japan and restored by The Criterion Collection. The restoration process involved cleaning and repairing the original film elements, and creating new digital masters. The restored version has been shown in film festivals and retrospectives worldwide, ensuring this important work of Japanese cinema remains accessible to modern audiences. The preservation efforts have been particularly important given that many Japanese films from the 1930s were lost due to war damage, neglect, and the flammable nature of early film stock.

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What audiences thought

Contemporary audiences in 1936 Japan responded positively to the film's relatable characters and situations, particularly the bus driver's courtesy which resonated with traditional Japanese values of politeness and respect. The film's focus on ordinary people's struggles during the Depression era struck a chord with viewers facing similar economic hardships. The journey format was popular with audiences, as it allowed for multiple storylines and character types to be explored within a single narrative. Over the decades, as the film has been restored and shown in retrospectives, modern audiences have discovered its charms and relevance. The film's themes of human connection and courtesy continue to resonate with contemporary viewers, particularly in an era when such values are often seen as declining. The film has developed a cult following among cinema enthusiasts who appreciate its historical significance and artistic merits. Its availability through The Criterion Collection has introduced it to new generations of viewers interested in classic Japanese cinema.

Film connections

Influenced by

• Japanese literary tradition of journey narratives
• Western road movies
• German Expressionist cinema (in visual style)
• French poetic realism
• Japanese shomingeki literary tradition
• Silent film visual storytelling techniques

This film influenced

• Late Spring
• Yasujirō Ozu, 1949)
• Tokyo Story
• Yasujirō Ozu, 1953)
• The Human Condition
• Masaki Kobayashi, 1959)
• Vagabond
• Agnes Varda, 1985)
• The Straight Story
• David Lynch, 1999)
• Lost in Translation
• Sofia Coppola, 2003)

Where to watch

• Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mr.%20Thank%20You%20(1936)%20by%20Hiroshi%20Shimizu.webm