Cinema
The Neighbor's Wife and Mine
マダムと女房
Heinosuke Gosho · 1931
Synopsis
Shibano, a playwright, quarrels with a painter over the picture of a house to let, then moves into it with his family. Behind on his new play, short of money, he is distracted by his children, by his wife and by his own laziness, then by the neighbours, who are rehearsing a jazz orchestra. Il Cinema Ritrovato contrasts the wife in kimono with the modern neighbour. When he goes to ask for less noise, the lady of the house invites him to stay and listen to the rehearsal.
Context
The film, produced by Shōchiku at its Kamata studio, was released on 1 August 1931. Its working title, The Noise Next Door, already stated the programme, according to Il Cinema Ritrovato: sound, recorded separately from the image, makes the plot, and two songs were released on record with the film. It was the first Japanese feature talkie to succeed with critics as well as the public, and it is the oldest surviving film by its director. The Japanese title writes madame in the characters reserved for foreign words, and wife in Chinese characters.
Who it is for
A comedy of fifty-six minutes, easy to follow. No release in France; it was shown in New York in 2015.
Prizes and reception
Ranked first of the year 1931 by the magazine Kinema Junpō, it is also the oldest surviving Japanese talkie.