本片(🆓)是(shì )山中貞雄的遺作(zuò )(🐌),也(yě )是(🌰)他的“時代(dài )劇(jù )的庶民電(diàn )影(🍥)”的代(🎗)表(🎹)作(🆖)之一。他(tā )在片中吸(🗼)取了(le )美(měi )國電(🎾)影(📿)和法(fǎ )國(⏬)電影的影(yǐng )響(🏇),並受到(dào )摯友兼(🐿)老師小津安(ān )(🤷)二郎(láng )的“小(xiǎo )庶(👁)民電影(yǐng ) ”美學影響,將歷史(shǐ )上江戶時代的小人(rén )(🙁)物形像(xiàng )注(zhù )入現(xiàn )(🥀)代(dài )庶民的(de )語言、性格、行止(🧚)、(🚣)靈魂,成就了一部難得的社(shè )(💱)會現實主(zhǔ )義的(de )佳作。故事發生於十八世紀德川幕府(👓)時代,以悲涼調子訴說德川(chuān )幕府時期(🤲)低下層的(💠)生活,開頭(🎋)與(🥕)結尾(🐀)都(🧟)是自殺(🤖)場景,映(yìng )(👣)照(zhào )出舊時日本社(shè )會(🏉)草根階層的悲哀(🐾)。另外,山(shān )中的剪輯流暢自如,視覺風格(💹)鋒如日本繪畫,演員表演也很(hěn )自然。此(⏲)片公認為山(📸)中最(🔷)好(hǎo )的作品(pǐn ),也(yě )是他僅存的三部電影(🌱)之一。
Humanity and Paper Balloons,unlike most other Japanese films of this period,is a historical film with a critical edge.Refusing to glorify samurai,the film insteaddeflates the myth around them with a gentle humanity. The film opens directly after a penurious ronin samurai has taken his own life.At his funeral his neighbors from his slum mourn his death. Here the film introduces another ronin samurai who lives in equal poverty. Having pawned his sword for food,the samurai searches for work but to no avail. The family's only income comes from the little balloon children's toys made by the wife.Out of desperation,the samurai abets in an attempted kidnapping. After finding out,the wife kills him in his sleep and then takes her own life, closing the film's narrative circle.
Brian Whitener, All Movie Guide.