Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset (男はつらいよ 寅次郎夕焼け小焼け, Otoko wa Tsurai yo: Torajirō Yūyake Koyake) a.k.a. Torasan and the Painter and Tora-san's Sunset Glow[1] is a 1976 Japanese comedy film directed by Yoji Yamada. It stars Kiyoshi Atsumi as Torajirō Kuruma (Tora-san), and Kiwako Taichi as his love interest or "Madonna".[2]Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset is the seventeenth entry in the popular, long-running Otoko wa Tsurai yo series.
Synopsis
During his travels, Tora-san meets Ikenouchi, a drunken old man whom he assumes is poor and homeless. Tora-san takes the old man home. When he wakes up, Ikenouchi begins ordering Tora-san's family around in such an authoritarian manner that no one can muster the courage to suggest he leave. On the road again, Tora-san meets Botan, a geisha who has lost her life savings to a dishonest customer. He and his family's neighbor are determined to help her out. It later turns out that Ikenouchi is a famous artist and a drawing he has made for Tora-san is worth ¥70,000.[3][4][5]
Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset was the third top Japanese box-office winner of 1976.[4] The Japanese academic film journal Kinema Junpo named it the second best Japanese release of the year.[4] For her role in the film Kiwako Taichi was named Best Supporting Actress at both the Hochi Film Awards and the Kinema Junpo Awards ceremonies.[4][7]
Stuart Galbraith IV judges Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset to be one of the best of the Otoko wa Tsurai yo series, singling out the performances of guest stars Kiwako Taichi and Jūkichi Uno.[4] The German-language site molodezhnaja gives Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset three and a half out of five stars.[8]
Availability
Tora-san's Sunrise and Sunset was released theatrically on July 24, 1976.[9] In Japan, the film was released on videotape in 1996, and in DVD format in 1997 and 2008.[10]