MINAMATA

US/Serbia, 2020, 115 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Depp, Bill Nighy, Hiroyuki Sanada, Minami.
Directed by Andrew Levitas.

A contribution to the increasing number of feature films (and, as always, impassioned documentaries) which highlight abuses by corporations and their contamination of environments. Even going back to the 1980s, there was Silkwood, later there was Erin Brockovich, John Travolta in A Civil Action, numerous television movies, especially as regards disasters in the United States, and, at the same time as this film, a very powerful and persuasive drama on a similar theme, Dark Waters.

This time the setting is Japan and a story from the 1970s. A true story.

We are introduced to celebrated World War II photographer, Eugene Smith, who Can Find his telling photographs to black and white. He is played with some passion by Johnny Depp. By the end of the 1960s, he was on hard times, divorced, alienated from his children, alcoholic. He was dependent on the editor of Life Magazine for financial support and commissions for photo stories. However, by this stage, Life Magazine was in decline with its subscriptions and loss of advertising revenue, to finish publication within a year, managed by its editor, played unexpectedly by Bill Nighy with an American accent.

Gene Smith is approached by Japanese campaigners to come to Japan and do a story on the contamination on a coastal town, the disaster for fishing, the quite serious ailments of many of the inhabitants. Rather desperate, and promising his best to the editor of Life Magazine, he goes to Japan.

As might be expected, the company leaders are initially welcoming him for interviews but then turning against him, even to his being physically assaulted, his hand stomped on, during the local protests. He has been offered a bribe – and wonders whether he should have accepted it to be able to support his children. Smith then is a mixture of depressed realist and heartfelt enthusiast.

However, he turns back to drink, disappoints his Japanese supporters, accessible rates his editor.

It may have been a moment of grace, but encountering some of the sick people, and despite his hand injury, he goes to the village and takes a number of photos which had a profound effect on the readers of Life Magazine – and on the corporate managers and their decisions. Challenged in public, they decide to offer compensation – but, not much not as much was done as promised (in this way, the film has great similarities with Dark Waters, even to the and needing of their commitment by DuPont? chemicals).

There is some aftermath information that Smith did not further his photography career but that he married Aileen, the campaigner who first asked him to take up the Japanese cause.

In comparison with some of the other films on similar themes, this one moves into high emotions as well as preaching and propaganda stances which audiences may interpret as trying to manipulate them rather than challenging them by the drama. To that extent, while the subject is worthy, some moments have less impact because of some rather heavy moralising.

A lot of emotion has been put into the film with Johnny Depp and Bill Nighy acting as producers.

1. The title? The area in Japan? The industrialisation? The mercury in the water? The effect on the population? The disease?

2. The film as a piece of history? Japan in the 1960s 1970s? The industrialisation, the poisoning of the community? Life Magazine, its last years, editorial policy? The story and expose?

3. The American settings, Gene Smith and his life and work, his alcoholism? Visits to Life Magazine, editorial, meetings, decisions? The Japanese settings, the village, the coast, the beauty, the highlighting of the industry, the huge buildings? Home life for the people? Illness? Disability? Protests? The company headquarters and board meetings? The musical score?

4. The film’s use of Eugene Smith’s film archive? His achievement? His memories of World War II? His black-and-white photography, no colour? His photos of Japan, the range of photos, their being destroyed, the protest, his injuries? The appeal to the people? His final photos? Sending them to Bob? The keynote photo of the young woman in the bath with her mother? The details of the photos? Their effect?

5. Johnny Depp as the producer of the film, Bill Nighy, the situation in Japan, the appeal for him to come to photograph? The appeal to Bob, Bob commissioning him – but with grave doubts?

6. Gene in Japan, the relationship with Aileen (and the final information of their marriage)? His moving among the people, the enthusiastic leader of the people, explaining situations, Gene and the range of photographs? His visit to the head of the company, the offer of the bribe? (And his later explaining this to the Bob, that he should have taken the money, for his children?). The demonstrations, and the board meeting, his trying to take the photos, the crowds, the placards, the heart, the feelings, the shouting, the smoke, the attack on him, his being trampled, his face, his eye, the stomping on his hand? In hospital? Aileen’s visit?

7. His drinking, retiring, phoning Bob in the night, Bob’s disappointment, Life Magazine and its viability, his wanting the photos and the story?

8. Gene and his making the speech, translation, the people allow him to photograph? His going to the homes, the intimacy of the photos, the key photo and the emaciated body, the bath, the mother? The other photos? In black-and-white? Stark and challenging?

9. His sending them to Bob? In Life Magazine? Bob satisfied? Moved and tears?

10. The president of the company, his ignoring the risks, the discussion with Gene and the point of microscopic contamination not affecting the people, his associates, offering the bribe, the meeting of the shareholders, the demonstrations? His listening to the stories, the emotional plea? The discussion with the members of the board, the agreement for the payment? Then saying it was not possible? The impact of Life Magazine and the photos? His change of heart? Agreeing to pay?

11. The appeal of this kind of film in the 21st-century? Conservation? Industry? Unscrupulous behaviour of companies? The effect on people, their lives and health? Compensation? A call for justice?