Fires On The Plain - Movie Review

Creating a film about World War II from the Japanese perspective presents a challenge. Especially when the film is produced in 1959, barely a decade after the war ended. As the aggressor in World War II, Japan might find difficulty in finding sympathy from a viewing audience for a film based on broad challenges or military objectives. Fires on the Plain overcomes that challenge by viewing the war through the eyes of an individual soldier.

One thing is true in war...it is fought by men (and women). The motives for war are as diverse as the people who fight them. But reasons have no place on the battlefield. The men who fight wars are generally the furthest removed from the source of their battles. I recall a story that emphasizes this point about German soldiers creating a temporary truce on Christmas Eve by singing Silent Night. The men, sharing the common ground of their religion and holiday observances, voluntarily shed their combat roles and exchanged gifts around a common campfire. A most unusual and surreal story that emphasizes the point of the human cost of war. It is on this foundation that Shohei Ooka based his novel. The story was adapted to screenplay by Natto Wada and Directed by Kon Ichikawa.

Fires on the Plain opens most unusually. Before the credits roll, we observe a Japanese soldier (Tamura) being slapped severely by his Squad Leader. The Squad Leader is chastising Tamura (Eiji Funokoshi) for returning to his unit after having been sent to the hospital with TB. Only three days have passed and Tamura cannot possibly be cured (and is still coughing up blood). Tamura is ordered to return to the field hospital and demand admittance. If he is not admitted, he has been ordered to use his single grenade to blow himself up.

That is how we meet our lead character. Tamura endears himself to the audience with his awkward personality and physical debilitation. A lack of food, TB and the stress of war has weakened Tamura immensely and made simple tasks much more difficult. His decisions are made impulsively...aided at times by superstition. Tamura also succumbs to sudden brutality that reveals flaws underpinning his character. The story becomes a journey of survival, self evaluation and circumstance. Along this journey, Tamura crosses paths with an odd group of characters with strange dependencies and quirks.

Among Tamura's acquaintances along the road are Yasuda (Usama Takizawa) and Nagamatsu (Mickey Curtis). Yasuda is a profiteer who takes advantage of people. Among his schemes is trading tobacco for yams to feed himself and Nagamatsu. Yasuda has a leg injury that limits his mobility. He is the brains of the outfit. Nagamatsu likes his tobacco and is strangely tied to Yasuda in an odd relationship of distrust but mutual survival. The three cross paths several times, ultimately allowing Tamura to discover just how horrid war can be and what survival can reduce a man to doing. In the end, Tamura faces his destiny alone.

Fires on the Plain was shot in black and white. The film was created half a century ago, so the special effects reflect that era. Most of the effects were superbly integrated into the film, with a few exceptions. One notable exception involved a dog attack that was incredibly lame. With that exception, the cinematography was amazing. Even with the age on this film, the scenes are captured artistically providing an eerie feel for the suffering and despair depicted in this dark film. To quote Sherman Tecumseh, "War is Hell." That concept is captured admirably in this film.

A quick note about the realism on the set during the filming of Fires on the Plain. The actors ate very little and intentionally neglected their hygiene to add to the sense of poor nutrition and overall health. That dedication is apparent in several scenes where the actors legitimately appear malnourished. Funakoshi was starving himself to the point where he collapsed on the set during filming. It makes one wonder if scenes where he is seen fumbling with his equipment were acting or actual loss of dexterity caused by his health. The dedication of the actors seems dangerous and not likely to be found in today's film (on that scale...The Machinist being a notable exception). The widespread malnutrition was captured eerily by the cinematographers.

Fires on the Plains was not rated, but has some serious elements. Being a war film, it would probably get an automatic R rating by the MPAA. There are some scenes where there is massive bloodshed, but little gore. The majority of the actual depictions show the results of the battles. There are some singular killings portrayed and some of them are graphic. Although not visually graphic by today's standards, the situations create ethical issues which may confuse younger viewers. Beyond the obvious war topics, there is also the subject of "monkey meat." After a few exchanges in the dialogue, it becomes apparent that cannibalism is a strong theme that is covered. I think teenage audiences should be able to handle this film without a problem. The film has a run time of one hour, 48 minutes.

Fires on the Plain is an "oldie but goodie." The film represents an older depiction of World War II from the vantage point of our adversary (for us Americans). Because the film approaches the topic from a very personal point of view, the audience can engage the film without any preconceived ideas about the war or prejudices against the film. The story deals with heavy subject matter that makes it very dark. The themes are compelling and interesting, although sluggish at times. This is a definite "must see" for movie buffs that like war films. 8/10.

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