Posted By: Lee Ann Conover
Posted On: May 31, 2010
This is a hauntingly beautiful, touching movie. The viewer will alternate between gasping at the beauty of the music and scenery and gasping in horror at the graphic shots of soldier's bodies littering the film.
The movie, first released in 1956, is set in Burma as an Imperial Japanese Army regiment surrenders to British forces at the end of World War II. It follows a Japanese private thought to have been killed, as he masquerades as a Buddhist Monk and stays behind in Burma to bury the war dead.
As a Music teacher, I was drawn to the beautiful music used throughout the film, as well as the theme of the power of music to heal and bring people together. The movie begins with an actor saying, "Why don't we sing?". The Japanese troops then break into beautiful classical singing. The quality of singing coming from this group of regular soldiers is explained by telling the viewer their Captain was a music school graduate. The English folk song "Home Sweet Home" and a Japanese version of it "Hanyu no yado" play a pivotal role in this film. Soldiers from both sides sing their own version of the song before the Japanese surrender.
Music and classroom teachers of Middle and High School students will find many wonderful examples of western classical singing, traditional Folk harp music, and traditional Japanese music in the background of some scenes. Comparing the two folk songs would also be a valuable lesson. However, select the scenes you plan to use in class carefully. There are many graphic shots of war carnage which will be difficult for students to view.
In the booklet that accompanies the DVD, the "big idea" for the film is stated. Music teachers, if you ever need to justify your art--use this!
"Music is a salve for the soul: its uses in combat (to send coded signals and to keep up morale) are trumped by its inherent beauty, its capacity to build bridges between opponents, and the way it can express feelings that cannot be stated in words."
Lee Ann Conover
Falk Laboratory School
Music K-8