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      A Town of Love and Hope

      1959 1h 2m Drama List
      Reviews 78% Audience Score 50+ Ratings The life of a boy selling pigeons on the street provides a portrait of poverty and class difference. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

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      eric b Barely lasting over an hour, Nagisa Oshima's first feature is a simple tale of an impoverished boy struggling to stay afloat in a cruel society. His father is gone. His mother is sick, and his younger sister is "simple." His mother makes a pittance shining shoes but it's not enough, so the family relies on a reluctant scam wherein he repeatedly sells pigeons that eventually get loose and fly back home. A privileged girl and a schoolteacher try to help the boy, but the system works against them. He can get a solid job if he goes to high school, but his family needs him working right now. The girl gives him a connection to find immediate work with a local electronics manufacturer, but his shaky background is a minus. There are no easy choices. "A Town of Love and Hope" (sometimes called "A Street of Love and Hope") is beautifully directed, even if lacks -- for better or worse -- the harsh political edge and daring edits of some later Oshima films. Oshima draws affecting performances out of an inexperienced cast, and Riichiro Manabe adds a polished, dramatic score besides. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      A Town of Love and Hope

      A Town of Love and Hope (1959) A Town of Love and Hope (1959) A Town of Love and Hope (1959) A Town of Love and Hope (1959) View more photos

      Movie Info

      Synopsis The life of a boy selling pigeons on the street provides a portrait of poverty and class difference.
      Director
      Nagisa Ôshima
      Screenwriter
      Nagisa Ôshima
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      Japanese
      Runtime
      1h 2m