It's tough being a man - It's tough being a man

Japanese film. Since the first film was released in August 1969, this comedy of the common people has been produced over a period of 26 years, with an average of two films produced each year during the Bon and New Year holidays. It was originally broadcast as a TV series based on an original story by film director Yamada Yoji, but after the series ended, it was made into a theatrical film by Shochiku, starring Atsumi Kiyoshi, who also starred in the TV series, and director Yamada Yoji, and quickly became a popular series. When Tora, a vagabond played by Atsumi, gets tired of his job as a target-stallion artist, he wanders back to his hometown of Katsushika Shibamata in Tokyo, where he worries about his uncle and aunt and sister-in-law, and his younger sister Sakura, played by Baisho Chieko (1941-). The concern was that Tora-san's love at first sight with a beautiful woman was a familiar pattern in every film, and the new element was that the actress who played the role of his partner, known as the "Madonna," changed with each film. The film maintained enduring popularity by carefully depicting the warmth of human feelings, centering on the human charm of the spirited and kind Tora-san. There were two films in the series that were directed by directors other than Yamada. With Atsumi's death, the 48th film, "Tora-san: Red Flower," released in December 1995, was the final film in the series.

[Yukichi Shinada]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

日本映画。1969年（昭和44）8月に第1作が公開されて以来、盆と正月の年2作の平均ペースで26年間にわたってつくられた庶民喜劇。そもそもは映画監督山田洋次の原作で連続テレビドラマとして放送されたものだが、放送終了後、テレビで主演した渥美(あつみ)清と山田洋次監督のコンビで劇場用に松竹で映画化され、たちまち人気シリーズとなった。渥美の演ずるフーテンの寅(とら)こと車(くるま)寅次郎が的屋(てきや)稼業に飽きると、ふらりと生まれ故郷の東京は葛飾柴又(かつしかしばまた)に舞い戻り、叔父夫婦や倍賞(ばいしょう)千恵子（1941―　）演ずる妹さくらに、心配をかける。心配の種となるのは、寅さんの美女に対する一目惚(ひとめぼ)れというのが毎回おなじみのパターンで、マドンナ役とよばれる相手女優が一作ごとに変わるのが新味となる。意気がよく人のいい寅さんの人間的魅力を中心に、人情の温かさをじっくり描いて根強い人気を保ち続けた。なお、シリーズ中、山田以外の監督作品が2本あった。渥美の死去により、1995年（平成7）12月の第48作『寅次郎紅の花』がシリーズ最終作となった。

［品田雄吉］

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