Akatsuki no Dassō

Escape at Dawn
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySenkichi Taniguchi
Screenplay by
Story byYasujiro Tamura
Based on
Story of a Prostitute
by Taijiro Tamura
Produced byTomoyuki Tanaka
Starring
CinematographyAkira Mimura
Music byFumio Hayasaka
Production
companies
Distributed byShintoho
Release date
  • 8 January 1950 (1950-01-08) (Japan)
Running time
116 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Escape at Dawn (Japanese: 暁の脱走, Hepburn: Akatsuki no Dassō) is a 1950 Japanese anti-war film directed by Senkichi Taniguchi. Co-written by Taniguchi and Akira Kurosawa, the film is based on Story of a Prostitute by Taijiro Tamura. The film revolves around a tragic affair between a soldier involved in the Manchurian campaign and a prostitute.

The film received two awards at the Mainichi Film Concours and was later remade by Seijun Suzuki at Nikkatsu.

Plot

Mikami, a Japanese soldier serving in China, is captured by Chinese forces. Although he is able to escape, he is treated with contempt by his peers. After falling in love with a prostitute named Harumi, she convinces him to desert the army and live with her.

Cast

Release

Escape at Dawn was released in Japan on 8 January 1950 where it was distributed by Shintoho.

Reception

Escape at Dawn was ranked as the third-best Japanese film of 1950 by Kinema Junpo critics. The film received two awards at the Mainichi Film Concours: Best Cinematography and Best Sound.

References

Footnotes

Sources

  • Galbraith IV, Stuart (2008). The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-1461673743.
  • Hirano, Kyoko (1998). 天皇と接吻―アメリカ占領下の日本映画検閲 [Kissing the Emperor: Censorship of Japanese Films under U.S. Occupation] (in Japanese). Soshisha. ISBN 978-4794207760.
  • Ryfle, Steve; Godziszewski, Ed (2017). Ishiro Honda: A Life in Film, from Godzilla to Kurosawa. Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 978-0819570871.
  • Yamaguchi, Yoshiko; Fujiwara, Sakuya (2015). Fragrant Orchid: The Story of My Early Life. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0824854041.