Baka marudashi (Honest Fool)

• Japan 1964, 88 min.

Director:

• YAMADA Yoji

Starring:

• HANA Hajime
• KUWANO Miyuki

Notes:

• This is YAMADA Yoji's third film which he directed when we was still a novice and before he became Shochiku's top money-making director upon hitting a gold mine with his Tora-san series. Its setting is in the present days, in a town on the coast of Seto-naikai, the Inland Sea of Seto between the isles of Shikuko and the Western part of Honshu.
  

• The simple-minded and easily flattered man who unselfishly goes out to do things for others is perfectly portrayed by HANA Hajime whose own character blends into the protagonist's amusing personality. The film was well received and YAMADA Yoji's talent in directing comedy was widely recognized. Since this picture YAMADA made eight comedies with HANA Hajime in the "Baka" (Fool) series and "Ippatsu" (Bluff) series. Therafter he went on to the hit TORA-san series, replacing the leading actor with ATSUMI Kiyoshi.