Michi (film)

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Michi (The Road) is a 1986 Japanese romantic drama directed by Koreyoshi Kurahara. Also known as Des gens sans importance and Hopeless Love, it is a remake of the 1956 French film Des gens sans importance, which was based on a novel by Serge Groussard.

Plot
Middle-aged Seiji Tajima, a long-distance truck driver with a troubled family life, meets young waitress Kazue Komiya at a roadside diner in Chiba. They fall in love, despite the odds. Kazue’s mother is unsupportive, and Seiji’s life becomes tied to his meetings with her. Kazue moves to Tokyo to be closer to Seiji, and she becomes pregnant. Seiji struggles between family duties and his love for Kazue, ultimately breaking up with her to protect his family. Kazue returns to the Sakura diner, and their relationship continues in fits and starts. Tragedy strikes when Kazue dies from complications after a back-alley abortion. Seiji, determined to start a new life with Kazue, drives away with her as she passes away.

Cast
- Tatsuya Nakadai as Seiji Tajima
- Miwako Okamura as Kazue Komiya
- Junko Ikeuchi
- Kyōhei Shibata
- Tomisaburo Wakayama
(Other cast members include Natsuko Fuji as Eri Tajima.)

Production
The film was produced by Toei, with a script by Hirō Matsuda. It marked the second collaboration between director Koreyoshi Kurahara and actor Tatsuya Nakadai. Filming took place across Japan, including Niigata, Aomori, Nagoya, Shimonoseki, Tokyo, and Kabukichō at night. The score was composed by Michel Bernholc, with a theme song by Françoise Hardy.

Release and reception
Michi was released in Japan on September 6, 1986, and runs 133 minutes. It was a financial success, earning about 450 million yen at the Japanese box office. It was later released on home video formats such as VHS, Betamax, LaserDisc, and DVD (2012).