The Daphne (1966)
A warm and witty TOHO ensemble comedy about four flower-named sisters and a mother determined to see them all wed.
The Daphne - Movie Information
- Original Title: 沈丁花
- Release Year: 1966
- Directed by: Yasuki Chiba
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama
- Runtime: 1h 46m
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- Release Date (Theatrical): October 1, 1966 (Japan)
- Production Companies: TOHO
- Production Countries: Japan
The Daphne - Plot
Four sisters are all named after flowers. While the two youngest are married, the eldest two remain single, much to the annoyance of their long-suffering mother. The mother and her brother try various schemes to find husbands for them.
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The Daphne - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Yasuki Chiba
Main Cast
- Machiko Kyō
- Yōko Tsukasa
- Reiko Dan
- Yuriko Hoshi
- Keiju Kobayashi
- Yōsuke Natsuki
- Akira Takarada
- Tadao Takashima
- Norihei Miki
- Ichirō Arishima
Writers
- Zenzō Matsuyama
- Yasuki Chiba
The Daphne - FAQs
What is The Daphne about?
The Daphne follows four sisters, each named after a flower, whose exasperated mother and her brother cook up increasingly creative schemes to marry off the two eldest daughters. It's a warm, comedic look at family pressure, romance, and the very different paths four women take toward love and marriage in 1960s Japan.
What do the four sisters' flower names symbolize?
Each sister carries a flower name — Kikuko, Umeko, Sakura, and Ayame — that subtly reflects her personality and romantic fate. The naming device is a charming narrative thread, linking the women to nature's cycles of blooming and waiting, and giving the film a poetic, distinctly Japanese sensibility.
Who are the main cast members in The Daphne?
The film boasts a stellar ensemble from TOHO's golden-era roster. Machiko Kyō and Yōko Tsukasa play the two unmarried eldest sisters, while Reiko Dan and Yuriko Hoshi are the younger married ones. Keiju Kobayashi, Akira Takarada, Yōsuke Natsuki, and Tadao Takashima round out the charming male cast.
Is The Daphne a comedy or a drama?
The Daphne sits comfortably at the intersection of both. While officially classified as a drama, the film leans heavily into light comedy through the mother's farcical matchmaking schemes and the sisters' contrasting personalities. It's the kind of warm, gently humorous domestic story that TOHO excelled at during the 1960s.
Who directed The Daphne and who wrote the screenplay?
Yasuki Chiba directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay alongside Zenzō Matsuyama, a prolific writer known for his work on numerous beloved TOHO productions. Chiba also shares the writing credit, making this a notably personal project with a consistent creative vision from script to screen.
What is the significance of the film's tagline?
The tagline — "Four Different Patterns of Wedding Ceremonies for Four Sisters" — is a playful promise to the audience. It signals that the film isn't just one love story but four distinct romantic journeys, each with its own flavor and outcome, making it a satisfying anthology of courtship set within a single family.
Is The Daphne similar to other Japanese family films?
Fans of The Daphne will find a kindred spirit in Kon Ichikawa's The Makioka Sisters (1983), which also centers on four sisters navigating marriage and family expectations in Japan. Both films share a gentle, observational tone and a deep affection for the complexities of sisterhood and social convention.
When and where was The Daphne released?
The Daphne premiered in Japan on October 1, 1966, produced and distributed by TOHO, the legendary studio behind many of Japan's most celebrated films of that era. The film was shot by cinematographer Asakazu Nakai and features a score by composer Toshirō Mayuzumi.
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