The Big Wave
Synopsis
Yukio, a farm boy, and Toru, a fisherboy, live in a small Japanese village that is periodically threatened by a volcano on one side and tidal waves on the other. Yukio's younger sister Setsu follows then and dreams of becoming a pearl diver. Toru is preparing to go fishing with his father when a bell tolls and a danger flag is hung high on the hill behind the village to warn of an impending tidal wave by the village patriarch, known as Old Gentleman.
Top Cast
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Jūzō Itami
Toru
Mickey Curtis
Yukio
Heihachirō Ōkawa
Yukio's Father
Chieko Murata
Yukio's mother
Sessue Hayakawa
The Old Man
Rumiko Sasa
Setsu
Reiko Higa
Haruko
Noriko Sengoku
Toru's mother
Kōji Shitara
Toru as a boy
Hiroyuki Ôta
Yukio as a Boy
Judy Ongg
Setsu as a girl
Sachiko Atami
Haruko as a girl
Tetsu Nakamura
Toru's Father
Frank Tokunaga
Shigeru Nihonmatsu
Servant
Release History & Theatrical Window
April 2, 1961
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Tad Danielewski
- Screenplay & Story
- Tad Danielewski, Pearl S. Buck
- Original Score
- Toshirō Mayuzumi
- Original Title
- The Big Wave
- Country of Origin
- Japan, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 13m
- Production Studios
- TOHO, Stratton Productions, Allied Artists
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Tad Danielewski
Tad Danielewski, Pearl S. Buck
Toshirō Mayuzumi
Kazuo Yamasaki
Akikazu Kono
Pearl S. Buck, Tad Danielewski
Department Leadership Roster
Tad Danielewski
Screenplay
Akikazu Kono
Editor
Kazuo Yamasaki
Director of Photography
Tad Danielewski
Producer
Tad Danielewski
Director
Toshirō Mayuzumi
Original Music Composer
Pearl S. Buck
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Big Wave.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Big Wave
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Big Wave about?
Yukio, a farm boy, and Toru, a fisherboy, live in a small Japanese village that is periodically threatened by a volcano on one side and tidal waves on the other. Yukio's younger sister Setsu follows then and dreams of becoming a pearl diver. Toru is preparing to go fishing with his father when a bell tolls and a danger flag is hung high on the hill behind the village to warn of an impending tidal wave by the village patriarch, known as Old Gentleman.
Who directed The Big Wave?
The Big Wave was directed by Tad Danielewski.
Who stars in The Big Wave?
The principal cast of The Big Wave includes Jūzō Itami, Mickey Curtis, Heihachirō Ōkawa, Chieko Murata, Sessue Hayakawa.
When was The Big Wave released and how long is it?
The Big Wave was released in 1961 with a total runtime of 1h 13m.
Who composed the musical score for The Big Wave?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Big Wave was composed by Toshirō Mayuzumi.
Is The Big Wave based on a book or true story?
The Big Wave is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Pearl S. Buck".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Big Wave?
The Big Wave holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).