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THE YELLOW HANDKERCHIEF

SHIAWASE NO KIIROI HANKACHI

By Yoji YAMADA

SHOCHIKU CO., LTD - as SALES All rights, World / DISTR Theatrical, TV, DVD-video, VOD, Airline, JAPAN

Drama - Completed 1977

A film adaptation of Pete Hamill's original work. Starring Ken TAKAKURA and Chieko BAISHO, the film dominated the Japanese film awards when it's first released, including the 1st Japan Academy Prize. Now available as 4K digitally restored version.

- Year of production
- 1977
- Genres
- Drama
- Countries
- JAPAN
- Languages
- JAPANESE
- Duration
- 108 mn
- Director(s)
- Yoji YAMADA
- Cast
- Ken TAKAKURA, Chieko BAISHO, Tetsuya TAKEDA, Kaori MOMOI
- Synopsis
- This film follows a man on a road trip with two strangers as he journeys to meet his wife after a six-year prison sentence. Kinya (Tetsuya Takeda) cruises through the lush green plains of Konsen in his red car, bopping along to the radio. He meets Akemi (Kaori Momoi) at Abashiri Station. She was a popular saleswoman on a train dining car, but she became fed up after being misunderstood by her colleagues and embarked on a reckless solo trip. Akemi hitchhikes with Kinya and when they were sightseeing near the beach, Kinya asks Yusaku Shima (Ken Takakura) to take their photo. From this chance encounter, the three of them go on a road trip together. When Kinya asks Yusaku where he is going, he only answers, “Yubari.”
  One day, the police were investigating an escaped robber near Karikachi Pass and they stop Kinya’s car. Kinya is let off after showing his driver’s license, but the police interrogate Yusaku, who they find suspicious. It turns out that he was released from Abashiri Prison two days ago.
  Yusaku recounts his past to Akemi and Kinya. During the six years that he spent in prison, he could not forget his wife, Mitsue (Chieko Baisho). Just before his sentence ended, he wrote her a letter. “I hope that you are remarried to a good man and living a happy life. By the time this letter reaches you, I will arrive in Yubari. If you are still living alone, please tie a yellow handkerchief on the garden pole. But if there is no handkerchief, I will leave Yubari.” The three of them drive through Akabira, Utashinai, and Sunagawa, heading straight to Yubari.