HANI DIRECTORS, 4 EDItION whilst repeatedly attracting Ingemar's attention to them. The film HANI Susumu sexual/gender problems apparently resolved. C Of Hallstrom's three Hollywood films the second, What's Eating Nationality: Japanese. Born: Tokyo, 19 October 1926. Education: bert Grape?, is clearly the most successful; it is also, not coinc Graduated from Jiyu Gakuen, Tokyo. Family: Married actress Sachik dentally, the closest to My Life as a Dog, the characters so memorabl Hidari, 1960. Career: Began working for Kyoto News Agency, incarnated by Johnny Depp and leonardo di caprio both relating in 1945: joined Iwanami Eiga production company, initially as still somewhat difterent ways to Ingemar, with Juliette Lewis replacing photographer, 1950; directed first film, 1952: producer, writer and his idiosyncratic and rebellious girlfriend. Far less audacious than the director for TV. from 1959; formed Hani productions, mid-1960s Swedish film, it is nevertheless a very offbeat project for Hollywood, Awards: First Prize (educational short), Venice Festival, and First conceived perhaps as much for its variously eccentric stars as for its atypical director. It allows Hallstrom license to develop his favorite Prize(short film), Cannes Festival, for Children Who Draw,1955 themes-the dysfunctional family, survival within conditions so Special Jury Prize for Best Direction, Moscow festival, for Children unpromising as to appear to predetermine defeat-and his finest Hand in Hand, 1965 qualities of generosity and emotional delicacy. One might single out (because on paper they would appear particularly hazardous) Depp scenes with Mary Steenburgen, the lonely and desperate older woman who uses him as a sexual outlet. hazardous because such a situation Films as director: has traditionally(and not only in Hollywood films) been taken as a pretext for the most vindictive and gloating cruelties at the womans expense. Here, Hallstrom achieves the perfect balance between 1952 Seikatsu to mizu(Water in Our Life)(co-d, co-sc)Yuki inflicting needs, each treated with equal sympathy: Steenburgen's matsuri(Snow Festival)(+ sc) sense of deprivation, Depp's need to extricate himself from a situation 1953 Machi to gesi (The Town and Its Drains)(+ sc) he has entered into because he is used to being used (everyone in the film has claims on him) and now feels to be false. The least successful 954 Anata no biru(Your Beer)(+ sc); Kyoshitsu no kodomotachi Children in the Classroom)(+ sc) seems to me Hallstroms Hollywood debut, Once Around, although it 1955 Eo kaku kodomotachi(Children Who Draw)(+ sc) contains some wonderful scenes and fine performances: its central premise, that a wealthy and aggressive American businessman, with 1956 Group no shido(Group Instruction)(+ sc); Soseiji gakkyu the kind of energy that goes into the multiplication of dollars, might (Twin Sisters)(+ sc); Dobutsuen nikki(Zoo Story)(feature) legitimately incarnate the"life force, rejuvenating(with occasional setbacks)all the other characters, is quite simply inadmissible, at least 1958 Shiga Naoya(+ sc); Horyu -ji(Horyu Temple)(+ sc): Umi wa as presented here, without apparent irony ikiteirt(The Living Sea)(feature)(+ sc): Nihon no buyo Hallstroms film Something to Talk About got a generally bad Dances in Japan)(+ sc): Tokyo 1958(co-d, co-sc, co-ed) press(a side-effect, perhaps, of backlash against Julia Roberts, as 1960 Furyo shonen(Bad Boys) mindless as the previous adulation): it seems to me a more interesting, 1962 Mitasareta seikatsu(A Full Life)(+co-sc): Te o tsunagu kora intelligent, and coherent film than it has been given credit for. It does, Children Hand in Hand however, raise a question: a new departure for Hallstrom(one would 1963 Kanojo to kare(She and He)(+ co-sc) ever,I think, guess it was his film), or evidence of his final 1965 Bwana Toshi no uta(The Song of Bwana Toshi)(+ co-sc) absorption into"Hollywood"and all that word has come to convey? 1966 Andesu no hanayome(Bride of the Andes)(+sc My present inclination is to defend it, as I think it has been misrepre- 1968 Hatsuoki jig ok uhen(Inferno of First Love; Nanami: Inferno sented. It has been perceived, generally, as a somewhat banal account of how Dennis Quaid, the unfaithful husband, gets his comeuppance rst Love)(+ co-sc) 969 Aido(Aido, Slave of Love critically than the other characters. The real subject of the film(and 1970 Mio(+ sc, Co-ed) he real meaning of its title) is that sexual and gender tensions and 972 Gozenchu no jikamwari (Timetable; Morning Schedule)(+co-sc problems in marriage should be""something to talk about, "not push 1981 Afurika monogatari(A Tale of Africa)(co-d) under the carpet. The films critique of marital infidelity(in the older, s well as the younger, generation) rests essentially on the old but still operative‘ double standard”: husbands do it., wives don't. Roberts’s of its ubiquity, although greeted on all sides with horror. Publications becomes an act of liberation, potentially for everyone, male and male. It is only superficially that the film can be read along conventional lines("Husbands should be punished for infidelity"); it By HAN: books- is open to a different reading, that our attitudes toward marriage fidelity, etc, all need to be rethought and, above all, opened discussion. It seems to be an open question as to where Hallstrom will Engishinai shuryakutachi [The Leading Players Who Do Not Act, The or indeed can, go from here Non-professional Actor 1958. Camera to maiku no roni [Aesthetics of Camera and Micro- -Robin Wood phonel., 1960 418HANI DIRECTORS, 4th EDITION 418 whilst repeatedly attracting Ingemar’s attention to them. The film ends with them huddled up together on a sofa, their complicated sexual/gender problems apparently resolved. Of Hallstrom’s three Hollywood films the second, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, is clearly the most successful; it is also, not coinci￾dentally, the closest to My Life as a Dog, the characters so memorably incarnated by Johnny Depp and Leonardo di Caprio both relating in somewhat different ways to Ingemar, with Juliette Lewis replacing his idiosyncratic and rebellious girlfriend. Far less audacious than the Swedish film, it is nevertheless a very offbeat project for Hollywood, conceived perhaps as much for its variously eccentric stars as for its atypical director. It allows Hallstrom license to develop his favorite themes—the dysfunctional family, survival within conditions so unpromising as to appear to predetermine defeat—and his finest qualities of generosity and emotional delicacy. One might single out (because on paper they would appear particularly hazardous) Depp’s scenes with Mary Steenburgen, the lonely and desperate older woman who uses him as a sexual outlet. Hazardous because such a situation has traditionally (and not only in Hollywood films) been taken as a pretext for the most vindictive and gloating cruelties at the woman’s expense. Here, Hallstrom achieves the perfect balance between conflicting needs, each treated with equal sympathy: Steenburgen’s sense of deprivation, Depp’s need to extricate himself from a situation he has entered into because he is used to being used (everyone in the film has claims on him) and now feels to be false. The least successful seems to me Hallstrom’s Hollywood debut, Once Around, although it contains some wonderful scenes and fine performances: its central premise, that a wealthy and aggressive American businessman, with the kind of energy that goes into the multiplication of dollars, might legitimately incarnate the ‘‘life force,’’ rejuvenating (with occasional setbacks) all the other characters, is quite simply inadmissible, at least as presented here, without apparent irony. Hallstrom’s film Something to Talk About got a generally bad press (a side-effect, perhaps, of backlash against Julia Roberts, as mindless as the previous adulation); it seems to me a more interesting, intelligent, and coherent film than it has been given credit for. It does, however, raise a question: a new departure for Hallstrom (one would never, I think, guess it was his film), or evidence of his final absorption into ‘‘Hollywood’’ and all that word has come to convey? My present inclination is to defend it, as I think it has been misrepre￾sented. It has been perceived, generally, as a somewhat banal account of how Dennis Quaid, the unfaithful husband, gets his comeuppance and learns to behave ‘‘correctly.’’ In fact, Quaid is presented no more critically than the other characters. The real subject of the film (and the real meaning of its title) is that sexual and gender tensions and problems in marriage should be ‘‘something to talk about,’’ not push under the carpet. The film’s critique of marital infidelity (in the older, as well as the younger, generation) rests essentially on the old but still operative ‘‘double standard’’: husbands do it, wives don’t. Roberts’s exposure of its ubiquity, although greeted on all sides with horror, becomes an act of liberation, potentially for everyone, male and female. It is only superficially that the film can be read along conventional lines (‘‘Husbands should be punished for infidelity’’); it is open to a different reading, that our attitudes toward marriage, sex, fidelity, etc., all need to be rethought and, above all, opened to discussion. It seems to be an open question as to where Hallstrom will, or indeed can, go from here. —Robin Wood HANI, Susumu Nationality: Japanese. Born: Tokyo, 19 October 1926. Education: Graduated from Jiyu Gakuen, Tokyo. Family: Married actress Sachiko Hidari, 1960. Career: Began working for Kyoto News Agency, 1945; joined Iwanami Eiga production company, initially as still photographer, 1950; directed first film, 1952; producer, writer and director for TV, from 1959; formed Hani productions, mid-1960s. Awards: First Prize (educational short), Venice Festival, and First Prize (short film), Cannes Festival, for Children Who Draw, 1955; Special Jury Prize for Best Direction, Moscow festival, for Children Hand in Hand, 1965. Films as Director: 1952 Seikatsu to mizu (Water in Our Life) (co-d, co-sc) Yuki matsuri (Snow Festival) (+ sc) 1953 Machi to gesui (The Town and Its Drains) (+ sc) 1954 Anata no biru (Your Beer) (+ sc); Kyoshitsu no kodomotachi (Children in the Classroom) (+ sc) 1955 Eo kaku kodomotachi (Children Who Draw) (+ sc) 1956 Group no shido (Group Instruction) (+ sc); Soseiji gakkyu (Twin Sisters) (+ sc); Dobutsuen nikki (Zoo Story) (feature) (+ sc) 1958 Shiga Naoya (+ sc); Horyu-ji (Horyu Temple) (+ sc); Umi wa ikiteiru (The Living Sea) (feature) (+ sc); Nihon no buyo (Dances in Japan) (+ sc): Tokyo 1958 (co-d, co-sc, co-ed) 1960 Furyo shonen (Bad Boys) 1962 Mitasareta seikatsu (A Full Life) (+ co-sc): Te o tsunagu kora (Children Hand in Hand) 1963 Kanojo to kare (She and He) (+ co-sc) 1965 Bwana Toshi no uta (The Song of Bwana Toshi) (+ co-sc) 1966 Andesu no hanayome (Bride of the Andes) (+ sc) 1968 Hatsuoki jig ok uhen (Inferno of First Love; Nanami: Inferno of First Love) (+ co-sc) 1969 Aido (Aido, Slave of Love) 1970 Mio (+ sc, co-ed) 1972 Gozenchu no jikanwari (Timetable; Morning Schedule) (+ co-sc) 1981 Afurika monogatari (A Tale of Africa) (co-d) Publications By HANI: books— Engishinai shuyakutachi [The Leading Players Who Do Not Act, The Non-professional Actor], 1958. Camera to maiku no ronri [Aesthetics of Camera and Micro￾phone], 1960