More than century after the invention of motion pictures it is very clear that the marriage between the new medium and the old medium of literature was less successful than most people would like to think. Great books, regardless of how important, how inspiring, how successful or how popular they might be, are difficult to be adapted into films able to match their importance and success. The medium of film is different than the medium of literature and the even most successful film makers can't match the subtleties and richness of written word without compromising literary work's integrity. Successful screen adaptation of great book was, is and will always be a formidable task, seldom achieved. It is, therefore, hard to imagine a film maker who would bring to screen not only a single book, but entire series together with the man who wrote them. Paul Schrader did this in his 1985 biographical film Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters.
This film was in many ways odd. One of the producers was George Lucas, filmmaker usually not associated with difficult, serious and thought-provoking films. The film's director and co-writer Paul Schrader built reputation on the film screenplays that had depicted uglier realities of American life, so different from the setting of this film. Finally, the name of the protagonist isn't easily recognisable even to the better-educated segments of the audience.
The protagonist of this film is Yukio Mishima (1925-1970), Japanese poet, playwright, novelist and political activist. He attained fame in 1950s through the series of successful novels and quickly became one of Japan's most important and celebrated writers. In 1960s his literary fame was followed by the entry into political arena. Mishima gradually became enamoured of the Japan's past and samurai tradition and began to criticise his countrymen's obsession with modernity and capitalism. He formed small paramilitary organisation dedicated to the restoration of old Japanese values and Emperor's power. In 1970 Mishima's status of world celebrity was immortalised by the most spectacular and most shocking action of his life.
Schrader (with the help of his co-writers Leonard and Chieko Schrader) uses unusual narrative structure quite fitting for such unusual personality. The plot of the film begins on November 25th 1970 when Mishima (played by Ken Ogata) wakes up and prepares for his encounter with destiny. Another narrative layer is provided by "chapters" - adaptations of Mishima's most important novels (Temple of the Gold Pavillon, Kyoko's House and Runaway Horses). Third layer is "standard" reconstruction of the most important events in Mishima's life, all of which are, in one way or another, connected with Mishima's literary work. All that is accompanied by narration, based on Mishima's own text (narrated by Roy Scheider in American and Ogata in Japanese version of the film). The fourth "chapter" of the film brings all three layers together.
Schrader's use of this narrative structure was perfect. Segments from protagonist's past, present and fiction relate to each other harmoniously and even those viewers unfamiliar with "art" films won't have any problems with following the plot. This could be attributed to cinematography by John Bailey and production design by Eiko Ishioka. Each of the three segments is different in style - events of 1970 are shot in "normal" down-to-earth, almost documentary fashion; Mishima's fiction is reconstructed through obviously theatrical sets and with plenty of bright colours; Mishima's early life is depicted through stark black-and-white cinematography. Music of Philip Glass accompanies them without being repetitive or intrusive, except on few occasions.
Needless to say, the acting in the film is very good. Mishima had expressed himself through his work so Ken Ogata plays that role with great deal of subtlety. The audience slowly discovers Mishima and less subtle but equally effective acting is provided by Yasosuke Bando, Kenji Sawada and Toshiyuki Nagashima - younger actors playing Mishima's literary alter egos.
Through excellent script and flawless direction, the audience would learn great deal of famous Japanese writer, his aesthetic preoccupation, philosophy, politics and, last but not least, his literary work. Mishima is not what it could have been, though. Disagreements with Mishima's family and subsequent legal and political entanglements affected the film's content (the family objected to the depiction of author's homosexuality and Mishima's marriage is only briefly mentioned throughout the film). Yet, despite that, Mishima is truly great film - one of the rare biographical films close to the high standards of the historic persons they depicted.
RATING: 8/10 (+++)
(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.films.reviews on March 30th 2004)
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Movie URL: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/27064-mishima-a-life-in-four-chapters Critic: AAA
