The Big Wave
Brief Synopsis
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Yukio, a farm boy, and Toru, a fisherboy, live in a small Japanese village that is periodically threatned by a volcano on one side and tidal waves on the other. Yukio's younger sister Setsu (Juddy Ongg, and later Rumiki Sasa) follows then and dreams of becoming a pearl diver. Toru is preparing to go fishing with his father when a bell tolls and a danger flag is hung high on the hill behind the village to warn of an impending tidal wave by the village patriarch, known as Old Gentleman (Sessue Hayakawa). The fishermen consult the other village elders and decide that Old Gentleman is wrong and they will go on with their work. Old Gentleman comes down from his home and begs them to send their children to his hilltop home for theie safety, but the refuse. That night, after Toru has gone to the home of his friend Yukio, a tidal wave destroys the village, leaving only afew survivors. Old Gentleman offers to take the orphaned Toru as his son but Toru, despite knowing he will live in wealth, decides to stay on with Yukio's poor family. Ten years later, Yukio (Mickey Curtis) and Toru (Ichizo Itami) are as brothers. Toru is saving his money to buy a boat and Haruko (Reiko Higa), a diver, offers to sell him one of hers as she has fallen in love with him. Setsu (Rumiki Sasa) has also fallen in love with Toru, while Yukio loves Haruko. On the day of the annual shark hunt, Yukio convinces Toru to join in helping kill the sharks, and they are joined by Haruko and Setsu. The girls get into a fight over Toru. Toru sees the fight and pulls Haruko off the smaller Setsu. Yukio sees him throw her aside and attacks Toru, declaring his own love for Haruko, while Toru revelas that it is Setsu whom he loves. Later, as Toru and Setsu discuss their wedding, Old Gentleman overhears their plans to go back to fishing. He hates the sea, as it killed his son thirty years ago, and offers them the biggest farm in the village if they will work it. He says he will not warn them of any more waves if the refuse. They do refuse, but tell him he will still warn them as he is a good man, but they will pay heed to his wisdom in the future.
Cast & Crew
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Tad Danielewski
Director
Sessue Hayakawa
Old gentleman
Ichizo Itami
Toru
Mickey Curtis
Yukio
Koji Shitara
Toru, as a boy
Hiroyuki Ota
Yukio, as a boy
Film Details
Genre
Drama
Release Date
Apr
1962
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Stratton Productions; Toho Co.
Distribution Company
Allied Artists
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel The Big Wave by Pearl S. Buck (New York, 1948).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 13m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Color
Black and White (DeLuxe)
Synopsis
Farmboy Yukio and fisherboy Toru live in a small Japanese village that is periodically threatened by a volcano on one side and tidal waves on the other. The village and most of its inhabitants are destroyed by a tidal wave after not heeding the warning of the Old Gentleman. Ten years pass, and now Toru and Yukio, who survived the big wave, are like brothers. Setsu, Yukio's sister, and Toru plan their marriage and their future as fisherfolk. The Old Gentleman offers them a farm in the village, but they turn him down, knowing that he will always warn them of future tidal waves.
Director
Tad Danielewski
Director
Cast
Sessue Hayakawa
Old gentleman
Ichizo Itami
Toru
Mickey Curtis
Yukio
Koji Shitara
Toru, as a boy
Hiroyuki Ota
Yukio, as a boy
Rumiko Sasa
Setsu
Juddy Ongg
Setsu, as a girl
Reiko Higa
Haruko
Sachiko Atami
Haruko, as a girl
Henry Okawa
Yukio's father
Chieko Murata
Yukio's mother
Tetsu Nakamura
Toru's father
Frank Tokunaga
Toru's grandfather
Shigeru Nihonmatsu
Old servant
Noriko Sengoku
Toru's mother
Crew
Pearl S. Buck
Executive Producer
Pearl S. Buck
Screenwriter
Sylvia Danielewski
Dial coach
Tad Danielewski
Producer
Tad Danielewski
Screenwriter
Tad Danielewski
Composer
Itsuro Hirata
Art Director
Yokichi Hishinuma
Gaffer
Kenji Inagawa
Special Effects
Akikazu Kono
Film Editor
Noriko Maebatake
Script Supervisor
Joseph E. Markarof
Assistant Director
Toshiro Mayuzumi
Music
Toshiro Mayuzumi
Composer
Yoshiaki Murata
Wardrobe
Masayuki Nakajima
Prod Supervisor
Michio Okazaki
Sound mix
Clark Paylow
Production Manager
Satoru Sango
Prop
Ikue Tsuda
Wardrobe
Haruhiko Yamada
Makeup
Ichio Yamazaki
Director of Photography
Hiroshi Yoshizawa
Music Conductor
Hidejiro Yotsuie
Sound Recording
Film Details
Genre
Drama
Release Date
Apr
1962
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Stratton Productions; Toho Co.
Distribution Company
Allied Artists
Country
United States
Screenplay Information
Based on the novel The Big Wave by Pearl S. Buck (New York, 1948).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 13m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Recording)
Color
Black and White (DeLuxe)
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Spring April 1962
Released in United States Spring April 1962
