Japanese Behaviour Reel 4

Japanese Behaviour Reel 4 Office of Strategic Services - Japanese Background Study Program Part 3 - On the psychology and living habits of the Japanese people. NB Many scenes taken from pre-1941 Japanese feature films. Slogan translated by narrator - “Duty is heavier than a mountain but death is lighter than a feather” - continues exploration of ladder-style society. Old man on deathbed makes last bow towards Emperor’s palace. Recreation of ancient Shogun sitting on platform raised above subjects. Domestic heirarchy - man sits on floor cushion so wife moves to lower floor mat. 08:52:22 Japanese girl breaking engagement w/ fiance on same social level as her - “By being over-polite, she puts him on a higher rung of the ladder than he belongs, which is very insulting”- 20 ways of saying “Mr” expressing different levels of respect - only two swear words in Japanese. 08:52:55 Still of typical Japanese “ladder” man w/ back to camera. VS Japanese film set in ancient times. Men examine samurai sword - represents self-sacrifice for superiors. 08:55:09 Japanese troops in battle - officer waves samurai to inspire infantry to attack. -Extracts from Japanese feature films illustrating the duties which each citizen owes to others in the prescribed scheme:- 08:55:27 Woman w/ daughter starts journey of hundreds of miles to reach husband captured in battle - mother dies by roadside, daughter continues journey; “if she is willing to try her ticker to the limit of its endurance you’d think she’d at least give the moppet a break, but therein lies the moral of the story“ - mother’s duty is to her immediate superior - her husband, daughter’s immediate superior is mother until she dies, then father. Daughter reaches father on horseback - reunion. 08:56:46 Wayward husband returns home after 6-year absence - wife ordered to keep away from him by her father - she waits for him to fall asleep and creeps out - husband announces he is going to war, father-in-law forgives them via his grandson as a ‘go-between’. 08:57:48 Marriage plans: ‘go-betweens’ interviewing prospective wife and her parents. Boy showing respect to father then taking out his frustration by fighting on playground. Daughter becomes nurse against father’s wishes and going off to war; he can’t forgive her openly but looks at her photos and slips money into her purse before she leaves. 08:59:46 Only son arrives home after prolonged absence - mother thrilled to see him but can’t hug each other. Smiling schoolboy on horse-drawn cart holding ashes of brother killed in battle - grieves in private - no public displays of affection or emotion. WWII. Customs; WW2;