THE BURMESE HARP
A film review by Thomas E. Billings
Copyright 1991 Thomas E. Billings
Synopsis: In Burma at the end of World War II, a harp-playing scout from a captured Japanese battalion is sent by the British to persuade a group of Japanese soldiers who are still fighting, to surrender. The results of this, and the horror of war cause a spiritual crisis; he wants to stay in Burma to bury the dead, yet he has promised to return to Japan with his friends. An anti-war film with a great message that contrasts the horror of war with the incredible beauty of music.
Japan (English subtitles), black-and-white, 1956, 116 mins. Director: Kon Ichikawa.
The story centers on Mizushima, a scout in a Japanese battalion whose captain graduated from a Music Conservatory. Mizushima acquired a Burmese harp earlier, and became an expert (self-taught) harpist. He plays his harp for his friends, and they sing beautiful songs in choral style. One day on a visit to a village, his unit is surrounded by British troops. In am amazing scene, the men tensely prepare for battle, and possible death, while singing (in Japanese) an incredibly beautiful and moving version of the song "There's No Place Like Home". As the British troops close in, they begin to sing along, in English. The beauty and peacefulness of their singing is a sharp contrast to the preparation for war.
Later, after Mizushima's unit surrenders, he is sent on a mission to convince a group of Japanese soldiers who are still fighting, to surrender because the war is over. The horrifying results of this matter, and the other war horrors he witness cause a profound spiritual crisis. He feels a duty to bury the war dead and pray for them. However, he has promised to return to Japan with his friends. The story continues as he begins to wander, trying to decide what to do....
This is an interesting film, with a number of worthwhile messages. First, it contrasts the beauty of the human spirit as reflected in great music and choral singing, with the insanity and horrors of war. It is a very powerful anti-war film. Another topic it addresses is friendship. Mizushima wants to keep his promise to his friends to return to Japan with them. However, there are many war dead in Burma, many of whom are not buried. He feels a need to bury the dead, to honor them, and to atone for his and their sins. The decision that Mizushima faces, to stay in Burma and honor the dead, thereby breaking his promise to return, or to leave and ignore his dead comrades, is literally a choice between spiritual and material pursuits.
There is another important message in the film, one that is largely the result of cultural changes in the nearly forty years since the film was made. The message deals with activism, and the nature thereof. In this film, Mizushima witnesses horror and injustice. His reaction, which can be viewed as a type of activism, is dramatically different from modern Western activism. The path Mizushima ponders is to become a renunciate and to begin a life of serving others, never forcing himself on others. This is brought home in a scene where he starts to bury some dead Japanese soldiers, while a few Burmese peasants watch. Although he doesn't have a shovel, only a stick, he works to exhaustion trying to bury them. He never asks for help; the peasants are impressed by his actions and, without being asked, join in and help him bury the dead.
So Mizushima's path is to try to improve himself, and to freely serve others without consideration of rewards. This is what activism should be, and is a sharp contrast to modern Western activism. Modern Western activism appears to be concerned with power, specifically with taking it from the people and using it to achieve the goals of the activist. The goal of modern activism appears to be to continually expand the power of government, which by its nature is coercive power (a form of violence), and to use it to achieve their goals, i.e. to force society to conform to the demands of the activists. In contrast, Mizushima's approach does not call for government force (the very same force he witnessed in war). His approach is genuinely non-violent, and respects individual freedom.
This is an interesting and very thought-provoking film. I recommend it to a general audience; it is definitely worth seeing if you have the opportunity.
Distribution: Screened at the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley, CA. The print was from the Archive's collection of Japanese films. The owner of the film copyright is Kino International.
Reviewer contact: teb@stat.Berkeley.EDU
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