Seeing a poll for the best films of 1945 wrapping up soon on ICM,I looked for a title to view for the poll. Checking the Japanese movies I have from the year,the first download I clicked on had a swift run-time,leading me to reach for the sky.
View on the film:
Flying onto screens less than a month before Japan surrendered in WWII, leading to it being the only "new release" on the big screen in the country for August 1945, director Kiyoshi Saeki & cinematographer Asakazu Nakai late attempt at propaganda has a oddly defeatist atmosphere, with even the ending message of endure your hardships for the greater cause taking a bumpy landing, due to the characters coming across as less than fulfilled by the final results.
Wisely keeping away from visible flag-waving,Saeki flies in on a elegant Melodrama atmosphere of stylish dissolves stubbing the Morse Code across the screen towards guiding the planes to safety, landing at glamour shots of the three air traffic controllers.
Made near the end of WWII, the screenplay by Yusaku Yamagata surprisingly does not go for macho posturing, instead wearing the stripes of silky Melodrama and "Woman's Picture", as the air control trio of Ueno,Matsumoto and Goto stay cool under pressure to guide the pilots to safely.
Kept in rooms with only air control kits, Setsuko Hara, Hideko Takamine and Hisako Yamane each give excellent performances as the air control trio, with Takamine tugging at Matsumoto's moments of doubt,Yamane bringing a sense of camaraderie out of Goto,and Hara sliding all the pressure placed on Ueno's shoulders off into the air.