Farewell to Dream (1956)

In the bustling city of Tokyo, the economically challenged Akimoto family ekes out a living through their humble fish shop, having lost their prime location to the aftermath of war. Yôichi, the twenty-year-old progeny and eldest son, finds himself reluctantly shouldering the responsibility of the family business, as his father's failing health looms ominously. His elder sister, Toyoko, engrossed in dreams of an affluent future, yearns for an escape from the stench of fish and poverty, hoping to marry into wealth rather than love. Yôichi's life, too, is steeped in discontentment. The stench of fish, a constant reminder of his seemingly predestined future, ignites a burning embarrassment within him. Yet, he is shackled by a sense of duty to his struggling family. His dreams are dominated by visions of nautical adventure, inspired by his late uncle who was a mariner. His confidante, Seiji Harada, listens to his fantasies of a mysterious young woman he observes through his binoculars from the solitude of his bedroom, her life a stark contrast to his own. As Yôichi's life spirals further into a vortex of setbacks, pulling him inevitably towards the fish shop he despises, he is forced to reconsider his dreams. With his desires drifting further from reach, Yôichi must navigate the turbulent waves of his destiny and play the hand fate has dealt him.

Farewell to Dream is a drama movie featuring Shinji Tanaka.

Farewell to Dream is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.