Song of the White Orchid 白蘭の歌 (Byakuran no uta)

Song of the White Orchid was a co-production of Toho and Mantetsu, the railway that served the colonial region of Manchuria, and the first film in the Kazuo Hasegawa/Shirley Yamaguchi (Ri Koran) “Continental Trilogy.” Handsome Hasegawa (representing Japan) runs up against an impertinent Yamaguchi (representing the continent); not surprisingly, in the course of the film the woman comes around and realizes the benevolent intentions of the Japanese. In Song of the White OrchidYamaguchi leaves Hasegawa, who plays an expatriate working for the railway, because of a misunderstanding. She joins a communist guerilla group plotting to blow up the Manchurian railway. Learning of the subterfuge that led to the misunderstanding, she renews her faith in Hasegawa—and by extension Japan—and tries to undermine the plot. 1939, 102 min., 35mm, b&w, in Japanese with live English subtitles. Directed by Kunio Watanabe. With Shirley Yamaguchi (as Ri Koran), Kazuo Hasegawa.

$12/$19 Japan Society members, seniors & students

Part of the 2015 Globus Film Series: The Most Beautiful: The War Films of Shirley Yamaguchi & Setsuko Hara.