This film is part of Free
MacArthur's Japan
In March of Time's report from post-war Japan, the Emperor renounces his divinity to study marine biology, while his subjects put feudalism behind them and tentatively embrace democracy.
Overview
March of Time assesses the arrival of democracy in Japan after centuries of feudalism. Deft editing evokes a sense of rapid and epochal changes in industry, education, farming and women’s rights. At the centre of the changes, imposed by Douglas MacArthur’s benevolent post-war occupation of Japan, is Hirohito’s renunciation of his divinity. Now mortal and a marine biologist of some renown, he is seen here with his family, exploring rock pools on a beach.
By 1949 the glory years of March of Time may have been in the past but this piece, while somewhat bombastic in tone, maintains the newsreel’s trademark fast-cutting style, well-suited to this depiction of a country undergoing swift and historic changes. Shots of a Toyota factory employee at work on the production line, eating at home with his family and fishing with his son, give a warm domestic feel to the final scenes of the issue. Elsewhere, a woman laughing at a US cartoon in a newspaper shows an aspect of American culture that would be absorbed by post-war Japan and become part of everyday life in the country in the form of the quintessentially Japanese manga comic strip.
Related
Inside Nazi Germany Inside Nazi Germany
Documentary 1938 16 mins
A genuinely historic film, which caused much controversy at the time: the first commercially -released American motion picture to explicitly attack Hitler and Nazism.
Presidential Year Presidential Year
Documentary 1948 15 mins
‘Crisp and sincere’,‘carefully trained’ or ’resonant and vibrant’? Which voice would appeal to you if you had to pick the Republican candidate for the 1948 Presidential Election?
Great Britain Coronation Great Britain Coronation
Anthology 1937 24 mins
Weatherproof bunting, fog, clockwork dolls and a Hollywood exodus to London: this sideways look at preparations for the Coronation of George VI provides a wry American take on a very British ceremony.
Metropolis Metropolis
Documentary 1939 18 mins
This ode to New York from March of Time shows us how seven and half million people from every race and nationality in the world, live, work and play together in ‘the greatest metropolis of the New World’.
Irish Free State Irish Free State
Anthology 1936 23 mins
How Ireland turned herself into a self-sufficient powerhouse - plus a study of the "lunatic fringe" in US politics.
America Thinks It Over America Thinks It Over
Documentary 1939 17 mins
In a world on the verge of war, will America support the democracies of Europe, or turn inwards and embrace isolationism?
New Perspectives: Pusher New Perspectives: Pusher
Short documentary 2025 5 mins
Noah Bell of Northumbria University explains why you should seize the chance to watch Nicolas Winding Refn's debut.
Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A
Inside Film 2025 38 mins
Kyle MacLachlan talks to BFI CEO Ben Roberts about working with David Lynch on the legendary series Twin Peaks.
On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.
Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.
All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.
Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.