Review: My Darling of the Mountains

In what amounts to a veritable shot-for-shot remake of Hiroshi Shimizu’s 1938 film, Anma to Onna (The Masseurs and a Woman), director Katsuhito Ishii takes a step back from the frenetically-paced brand of comic absurdity he’s known for to weave a lighthearted, breezy tale of a mysterious young woman from Tokyo who inadvertently becomes the center of attention at a mountain hot springs resort. Even for a 90-minute film, My Darling of the Mountains has a relatively uneventful plot, making it all the more dependent on understated charm and a style of humor that’s likely to evoke more smiles than laughs. Fervent fans of Ishii’s past work are likely to be disappointed, but with appropriately tempered expectations it’s still a fairly enjoyable revamp of a classic.

We’re introduced to the two masseurs, Tokuichi and Fokuichi, as they make their seasonal journey from the seaside spas of the north to the hot springs of the south. Due to a Japanese social mandate which goes back hundreds of years, the job of masseur was—at the time—the exclusive domain of the blind. Toku, played by Tsuyoshi Kusanagi of SMAP, is quickly shown to have keener senses than the bumbling Foku (Ryo Kase) when he correctly identifies a passing group as consisting of 8 ½ people (there was a baby). Later, the two are passed by a horse-drawn cart carrying a woman from Tokyo named Michiho (Maiko), a business man named Shintaro Omura (Shinichi Tsutsumi), and Omura’s nephew Kenichi (Ryohei Hirota)—rounding out the primary cast of characters for the rest of the film.

Upon arriving, Michiho is Toku’s first client, and through their conversation he adeptly gleans the information he’s most interested in: she’s single. He also picks up on some extra tension in her life, but can’t get her to admit what it may be. This begins to concern Toku later when the other guests’ property begins to disappear at the hands of an unknown thief. All signs begin to point at Michiho as the culprit, and as much as he’d like to believe in her innocence, Toku senses something just isn’t quite right with her. Adding to his consternation is the fact that she always seems to be hanging around Omura at the most inopportune times. Are Toku’s usually-keen senses being clouded by jealousy? Or does Michiho ultimately need to be saved from herself?

My Darling of the Mountains is an appealing throwback to the light comedies of a bygone era, provided that’s what you’re in the mood for. It would be hard to justify nitpicking this version without also going back and finding fault with Shimizu’s version; and in some ways it’s actually an improvement. Ishii’s fascination with capturing beauty on film—as evidenced by his recent U-BEE high-definition scenery project—really pays off in this one. Everything is gorgeously shot, from the mountain greenery to the gratuitous close-up angles of the always-stunning Maiko. Performances are solid across the board, and while the twitchy portrayal of the blind may offend the sensibilities of some, it never quite crosses the line into mean-spiritedness. All in all, if you’re in the market for a simplistic old-time comedy with modern-day cinematography, this one certainly fits the bill. However, those who expect a little more bang for their entertainment buck won’t be missing much if they skip it altogether.

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  Trailer - My Darling of the Mountains (2008)
  Posted: February 25, 2009
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  Teaser - My Darling of the Mountains (2008)
  Posted: February 25, 2009
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  Trailer - Party 7 (2000) [English-subtitled]
  Posted: January 4, 2009
• Katsuhito Ishii’s “Sorasoi” and “My Darling of the Mountains” screening at HIFF
  Posted: September 19, 2008
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  Trailer - The Taste of Tea (2004)
  Posted: May 9, 2007