友達に逢う列車

Every day is peaceful. There is an elderly couple who live together. The husband still works, albeit sparingly, and the wife does the housework. They eat together, know each other’s tastes, and talk a little while watching TV. The film is a quiet account of their unhurried life together. The camera’s gaze is quiet but gentle as it carefully follows the old couple, interspersed with summer scenes from the countryside, like a documentary. The camera’s gaze is quiet but gentle, and the occasional embarrassing gestures and expressions on the couple’s faces give the viewer a sense of closeness to the camera (and to the people holding it). The old man is a very picturesque subject even when he is just standing there, but this film has a peculiar rhythm to it, which may be staged or naturalistic.