Cinematic Point Of View

Twenty-Four Eyes
Directed by Keisuke Kinoshita • 1954 • Japan
Starring Hideko Takamine, Shizue Natsukawa, Chishu Ryu

As I continue my deep dive into Masaki Kobiyashi’s filmography, I am side stepping into the films of filmmakers who had an impact on Kobiyashi’s work. One such filmmaker is Keisuke Kinoshita, a director who Kobiyashi worked with early on. Kinoshita was a writer on Kobitashi’s Sincere Heart, while Kobiyashi was the writer on Kinoshita’s film The Broken Drum, among other things. Their working relationship is well worth exploring and covered in detail in the Masaki Kobiyashi biography A Dream of Resistance: The Cinema of Kobayashi Masaki.

The story of Twenty-Four Eyes takes place in a rural island community and spans decades of Japanese history, from 1928 past the end of World War II. The film documents the change in Japanese society in this time, witnessed through the life of a teacher named Oishi, played by Hideko Takamine, and her unwavering commitment to her students, profession, and sense of morality.

The film opens with the children singing as they walk through the countryside. In the distance, they see their teacher leaving town. She is moving on to a new school on the mainland. The kids all wonder what their new teacher will be like.

When we first meet the new teacher, Oishi, she is riding on a bicycle into town. Kinoshita uses this bike as a clear symbol of change and freedom throughout the film. As she makes her way through town, this sight of her on the bike in her “Western” clothing sets the town buzzing! The kids remark about how tough she looks. We’ll soon she that she is. Oishi takes whatever life hands her in the most inspiring ways and make the best of it. She’s an inspiration.

I love the simplicity of how this movie plays out. It’s epic in scope but still manages to feel intimate at every turn. Dramatic moments unfold without any unnecessary or manipulative cinematic flare. Beautifully framed shots, and some rather long takes, all done with ease and purpose. Considerable time is spent documenting the joys of everyday life.

But this is an age of great change in Japanese culture. There is a constant state of war and the unwavering dedication to Emperor Hirohito is the highest ambition for many. We hear about the hopes and dreams of children growing up in a world that will use them for cannon fodder. We see this mindset of the older generation impacting their hearts and minds. Most adults believe it’s better to be patriotic and die for your country over anything else. Oishi tries her best to push back against that idea and present new thoughts in school. Fearfully, the administration shuts her down. She is called, often by the children, “cry baby” and “coward.”

One day the students play a prank on Oishi and trick her into walking into a hole on the playground. The joke goes South when she breaks her leg in the fall and has to leave the village to heal. I love the simple way this accident plays out. Medium shot. The reaction of the children is very subdued. You can feel the pain and confusion. It all feels very real. It’s a “life throws you curveballs” moment that turns everyone’s world upside down.

With Oishi gone, a new teacher takes over. This man has more traditional beliefs and teaches the old patriotic songs to the class. Some of the kids remark how they enjoyed Oishi’s songs better.

Watching these children happily singing about dying for country as they walk around the village is sad and unsettling to say the least. Kinoshita spends a lot of time during these moments to give you good close-ups of the their young faces. Those twenty-four eyes, those twenty-four lives, so full of innocence and unknowingly being prepared for war.

Several years pass. The children are almost grown up. We follow Oishi as she returns to the island and tearfully watches as several of her students are now leaving for war. She runs into former students whose lives have changed due to more unforeseen circumstances. One had to drop out of school because a parent died. Another had to leave to take care of a baby while their father works. There are many tearful moments of regret and they all feel genuine.

I love one scene where Oishi runs into an old student working at a cafe. She is too embarrassed to reconnect with her teacher. Oishi bids her farewell and leaves on a boat. The student runs out to say good-bye, but it’s too late. She watches from the shore in tears. That moment got me for some reason. Missed opportunities in a world and time where life could end or change in the blink of an eye.

This is one of the best anti-war films I’ve seen without a shot fired. It manages to document a large span of Japanese history, show the importance of questioning social norms, and the importance of a good education from a good teacher. As we all know, teachers don’t get enough credit. It’s hard work to handle so many different people all looking to you for answers. I’m not a teacher, but I can imagine how difficult it would be to basically feel like every student is your own child and then watch their lives unfold in so many ways over the years. Teachers are special.

And this is a special film. From the ever present dangers of patriotic indoctrination to the changing roles of women in Japanese society, Twenty-Four Eyes delivers a strong and emotional exploration of cultural change. It’s easy to see how Keisuke Kinoshita has an influence on the work of Masaki Kobiyashi.

Give it a watch. It’s on Criterion Channel and real hidden masterpiece.