Plot summary
Otoko wa tsurai yo ("It's tough being a man") is a long-running and beloved Japanese film series that spanned from 1969 to 1995 and starred Kiyoshi Atsumi as Kuruma Torajirou, or simply "Tora-san," a kind-hearted travelling salesman who is always unlucky in love. Each film featured a different leading lady/damsel in distress, called a Madonna, and a different region of Japan. The film series ended due Atsumi's declining health and eventual death from lung cancer at the age of 68 without Tora-san ever settling down and finding domestic happiness. In this 24th installment, Tora-san returns to his family's home in Shibamata, Tokyo, to find an American salesman Michael Jordan (Herb Edelman) living there, leading to various conflicts. As Tora-san struggles with his love for the local Madonna named Sakura (Chieko Baishou),Michael admits that he is also falling for her. Ultimately, the two men find they have more in common than they thought.
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It's verry funny.
I at the beginning did not like this movie series. But this movie changed my thought. This movie could surprise me. Because as for this movie the American has been present. So far it is not to have front example. I looked at that movie with absorption. The funniest point after all was conversation of the Japanese and the American with this movie. Also the friendship of Michael of the American who comes and the Torasan of the protagonist is impressed. Me those where thought concerning the Japanese movie was changed are this movie.
Mr. Tiger meets his American counter-part
As we arrive to film no. 24 in the long-running "Otoko wa tsurai yo" franchise, it is getting increasingly difficult to tell the films apart. The filmmakers really assumed, that if you like one, you like all of them. But the refusal to make noticeable changes to the films also risks the franchise growing stale. Which is why this film, "Torajirô haru no yume" (Tora-san's Dream of Spring, 1979),is such nice change of pace. In this film, an American salesman Michael Jordan (Herb Edelman) arrives in Shibamata, and the Toraya gang decide to house him. He eventually falls in love with Sakura.
The film gets a lot of material to work with from the addition of an American character. Tora-san is initially depicted as very anti-american. He doesn't speak English, and thinks that Japan has had nothing but bad luck since Commodore Perry crashed their shores. The antagonism between Michael and Tora is well executed. I loved the fact that they gave Herb Edelman Tora-ish clothing, albeit the fact that the 1,96 m tall actor towers over Atsumi. As Michael is supposed to be Tora's American counterpart, the "Madame Butterfly" romance with Sakura is also fitting. Tora's own Madonna-story-line with leading lady Kagawa Kyoko is also good enough, though it gets a little sidetracked.
This is easily one of the funniest entries. Edelman gives a great performance, he completely fits the tone of Yamada's home flavored franchise. Atsumi also gets several great moments, and for once, Baisho Chieko gets to do a little more acting in the role of Sakura. All in all, a success.