It is interesting what one notices a second time or so around.
The dancer, had expressed disillusionment with dancing.
Towards the end of the movie she has a
letter delivered to Mr. Suigyama, her star pupil. In the letter she
wrote how she blamed her partner for not
protecting her. But later realized she was blaming others. Also
she was always dancing "by herself" and not trusting her partner.
So in a sense Mr. Sugiyama, her student "taught" her about trust in
a dance relationship. Shortly after this Mr. Sugiyama and his wife
are encouraged by their daughter to dance. During this scene where
Mr. Sugiyama is teaching his wife to dance, I think we see a
reestablishment of trust between husband and wife. A sort of symmetry
of scenes dance and marriage. In a way this is a bit unusual,
because, I think Japanese aesthetics favors asymmetry. But some
Japanese works do have symmetry of events.
I don't know if this is a common theme in Japanese film and literature:
someone battling with disillusionment. I see this in both SHALL WE
DANCE and the manga/ TV series NODAME CANTABILE. In both works you
have disillusioned characters, one is disillusioned with dance the
other is wondering about giving up music. In a way the one who wants
to give up on music is a bit silly. His fear of flying is keeping him
from going outside the country.
As I watched SHALL WE DANCE again, it was interesting to see some
small details which I overlooked. About the time the elder lady asks
Mr. Sugiyama to partner with a certain dancer, we see the younger
dancer Mai, looking through the window at a dance event inside a
building. She sees a little girl dancing. I think that is
significant. Because later in the movie she talks about being impressed
by the world of ballroom dancing as a child. Perhaps Mai saw a bit of
herself in that little girl from the earlier scene.
I suppose I really did not pay that close attention transformation of
Mai. Mr. Sugiyama's dedication sort of rubbed off on Mai and she began
to revive her interest in dance. It was fascinating to watch the
process.
BTW the person playing the part of Mai, is the wife of the director.
I don't know if she's acted in any other movies. Professionally she's
a ballerina.
Naoto Takenaka, who plays the part of Sugiyma's co-worker, Mr. Aoki,
also appears in NODAME CANTABILE. He plays the part of the German
conductor/ letch Franz von Stressman. To me it looks a little tacky
for a Japanese, wearing a wig an beard, to play a German. Akira
Emoto, who plays the part of the private investigator, Mr. Miwa, also
appeared in the TV drama KOMYO GA TSUJI, playing the part of warlord
Hideyoshi Toyotomi.
# posted by GuyTak @ 8:22 AM
