Tora-san, My Uncle
Tora-san, My Uncle (男はつらいよ ぼくの伯父さん, Otoko wa Tsurai yo: Boku no Ojisan) is a 1989 Japanese comedy film directed by Yoji Yamada. It stars Kiyoshi Atsumi as Torajirō Kuruma (Tora-san), and Kumiko Goto as his nephew's love interest or "Madonna".[1] Tora-san, My Uncle is the 42nd entry in the popular, long-running Otoko wa Tsurai yo series.
| Tora-san, My Uncle | |
|---|---|
![]() Theatrical poster  | |
| Directed by | Yoji Yamada | 
| Written by | Yoji Yamada Yoshitaka Asama  | 
| Produced by | Kiyoshi Shimizu | 
| Starring | Kiyoshi Atsumi Kumiko Goto  | 
| Cinematography | Tetsuo Takaba | 
| Edited by | Iwao Ishii | 
| Music by | Naozumi Yamamoto | 
| Distributed by | Shochiku | 
Release date  | 
  | 
Running time  | 108 minutes | 
| Country | Japan | 
| Language | Japanese | 
Cast
    
- Kiyoshi Atsumi as Torajirō[2]
 - Chieko Baisho as Sakura
 - Fumi Dan as Hisako
 - Shimojo Masami as Kuruma Tatsuzō
 - Chieko Misaki as Tsune Kuruma (Torajiro's aunt)
 - Hisao Dazai as Boss (Umetarō Katsura)
 - Gajirō Satō as Genkō
 - Hidetaka Yoshioka as Mitsuo Suwa
 - Kumiko Goto as Izumi Oikawa (Mitsuo's girlfriend)
 - Gin Maeda as Hiroshi Suwa
 - Chishū Ryū as Gozen-sama
 
Critical appraisal
    
Hidetaka Yoshioka was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Japan Academy Prize for his role in Tora-san, My Uncle. He won this title at the Nikkan Sports Film Award ceremony. Kumiko Goto was nominated for Best Actress at the Japan Academy Prize.[3] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times wrote that "This Tora-san, like all the others, in its depiction of warm family life and natural beauty, exudes a strong nostalgic pull for a Japan that was more spacious, beautiful and personal than it is today."[4] The German-language site molodezhnaja gives Tora-san, My Uncle three and a half out of five stars.[5]
Availability
    
Tora-san, My Uncle was released theatrically on December 27, 1989.[6] In Japan, the film was released on videotape in 1996, and in DVD format in 1998, 2005, and 2008.[7]
References
    
- "男はつらいよ ぼくの伯父さん (Madonna)" (in Japanese). www.tora-san.jp. Retrieved 2010-02-01. (official site)
 - 男はつらいよ ぼくの伯父さん (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
 - "Awards for Otoko wa tsurai yo: Boku no ojisan (1989)". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
 - Thomas, Kevin (May 23, 1990). "MOVIE REVIEW : 42nd 'Tora-san' Examines First Love". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
 - "Tora-San, My Uncle" (in German). www.molodezhnaja.ch. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
 - "男はつらいよ ぼくの伯父さん". Japanese Cinema Database (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Archived from the original on 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
 - 男はつらいよ ぼくの伯父さん (1989) (in Japanese). allcinema.net. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
 
Bibliography
    
    English
    
- "OTOKO WA TSURAIYO -BOKU NO OJISAN". Complete Index to World Film. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
 - Otoko wa tsurai yo: Boku no ojisan (1989) at IMDb
 
German
    
- "Tora-San, My Uncle" (in German). www.molodezhnaja.ch. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
 
Japanese
    
- 男はつらいよ ぼくの伯父さん (1989) (in Japanese). allcinema.net. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
 - "男はつらいよ ぼくの伯父さん". Japanese Cinema Database (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Archived from the original on 2012-03-11. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
 - 男はつらいよ ぼくの伯父さん (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
 - 男はつらいよ ぼくの伯父さん (in Japanese). Kinema Junpo. Archived from the original on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
 
