Yasuzo Masumura's 'A Fool's Love' is an eccentric wildly entertaining classic film, it is an adaptation of author Jun'ichiro Tanizaki from a novel first published in 1925. A writer of modern Japanese literature, of the modan garu, of sexuality and destructive erotic obsessions, the original infuential story is set in the rapidly changing period following WW1, the films setting also is in equally dynamic changing times, the mod late sixties.
Joji is an educated well-off young man, a secretive mild mannered electrical engineer he has an enthusiastic interest in the Westernized culture which is becoming ever popular in Japan. Aloof at work all he lets out to his inquisitive fellow workers is that he has a pet "cat" ? at home, curiously a rare spark of delight in his seemingly uneventful life...
Privately Joji endeavours to educate/groom a rather common girl, the titular Naomi having become obsessed with her exotic looks following a chance encounter. He arranged to have Naomi move into his home and earnestly embarks on efforts to mould her into the perfect modern Western wife. He pays for English-language lessons and funds Westernized activities, fostering her love of movies, dancing, magazines and her psychedelic fashion.
Despite his desperate infatuation Joji makes no sexual advances toward Naomi he begins the relationship as the dominator. However overtime weakened as his obsession grows, Naomi's cruel manipulation puts her in the position of power over him, especially since tormented Joji has conceded to everything she desires...
Masumura's film is a vivid beautifully composed pensive tale, an unconventional cinematic story of abnormal obsession. Ultimately under the master directors command & with a twist of his very own all of the films peculiarities & weirdness culminate in the final moments for a profoundly touching finale...Highly Recommended !!
