The Golden Flower

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Original Title	こがねの花
Japanese kana Rendering	Kogane no hana
English Title	The Golden Flower
Production Date	1929
Author	Noburo Ofuji
Duration (minutes)	17
Sound	silent
Color	b/w
Plot	Morning comes and the village is holding a festival. Dangobei, a kagura performer invited from a village called Tanokyu appears. He entertains the villagers with masks of a plump-faced woman and a comically distorted male face. Before long, the festival ends. Dangobei receives money and leaves for home. Going by night sends Dangobei down the wrong path, and he wanders into the Kuragari-toge Pass. In Tanokyu, his mother worries about him. A giant snake appears in front of Dangobei who is frightened by the dark path. Dangobei quickly puts on a kagura mask. The giant snake asks him his name. He says "Dangobei of Tanokyu" and pleads for his life. However, the snake thinks he said raccoon dog (because Tanokyu sounds like tanuki). When the giant snake asks him to turn himself into something, Dangobei puts on each of the kagura masks, and so the giant snake excuses him. Feeling relieved, Dangobei goes to light a cigarette, but the giant snake says he hates nicotine. The giant snake asks what Dangobei dislikes. He says he hates "money" as it is a source of alienation between parents, children, and siblings. After running for his life to return to the village, he tells the villagers about the giant snake. Then, the villagers go to kill the giant snake. The giant snake dies from all the nicotine and angrily throws lots of koban (oval gold coins formerly used in Japan) at Dangobei.
Description	This Chiyogami Eiga was made based on Tanokyu (田能久), a traditional Japanese comical story. The story's protagonist, a dutiful son, tells a great snake that he dreads money because money turns people against each other, thereby eventually becoming a millionaire. The film was highly esteemed and was awarded the first Outstanding Movie Award from the Ministry of Education in 1931. The award certificate and the medal are among Noburo Ofuji's possessions.
Production Company	Chiyogami Eigasha*
Distribution	Tokyo Cinema Shokai*
Release Date
Credits: Director	Noburo Ofuji*
Credits: Staff, Cast, etc.
Intertitles	T1「こがねの花」、T2「この村の祭禮に多能久の里より招ねかれて参つたる神樂師團子兵衛」、T3「やがて祭禮も終り」、T4「どうも御苦労様でござりましたこれは我我の寸志お受け下され」、T5「さやうなればこれにてお暇致します」、T6「左様なら気を付けて行きなされよ」、T7「何處で道を違へたか行けども行けども山また山…･･」、T8「ここは噂に聞くくらがり峠ぢや」、T9「團子兵衛の歸りを淋しく待つ母親おくし」、T10「くらがり峠が何の恐ろしいものか」、T11「ときは･･草木も眠る丑滿時…･」、T12「足音がこだまに響いて……」、T13「くはばらくはばら」、T14「南無地藏尊助け給へ救ひ給へ」、T15「いやぢやいやぢや」、T16「助けてくれ～」、T17「神さま」、T18「佛さま」、T19「こりややい！」、T20「一体貴様は何者ぢや」、T21「私めは多能久[タノウキウ]生れの團子兵衛と申しまする者命ばかりはお許し下さりませ」、T22「なに！多能久ぢやと」、T23「なに！タヌキぢやと」、T24「狸なら化けて見せろ」、T25「左様なれば化けてご覧に入れまする」、T26「これにてご勘辨下さりませ」、T27「見事な化け方ぢや命は許してつかはす」、T28「やれやれこれで一安心致しました」、T29「時に煙草を一服いかがで御座りまするな」、T30「やめてくれやめてくれ」、T31「身共は世の中に煙草のヤニほど恐ろしいものはないのぢや貴様は何が恐ろしいな」、T32「金でござります」、T33「金のためには…･･」、T34「親も」、T35「子も」、T36「兄も」、T37「弟も」、T38「仇となることがござりますそれ故金が…･」、T39「恐ろしうござります」、T40「大變だ！」、T41「大變だ！」、T42「大變でござります誰か來て下され！」、T43「團子兵衛どん何んとなされた！」、T44「まま聞いて下され」、T45「その大蛇めは煙草のヤニが大の嫌ひなそうにござります」、T46「そのやうな大蛇めはヤニ攻めにして退治てしまへ」、T47「大蛇退治ぢや大蛇退治ぢや」、T48「きせるを持つて集れ集れ」、T49「これ大蛇殿人を殺めた天罪ぢや迷はず常佛して下され」、T50「おのれ團子兵衛！」、T51「よくも身共の嫌ふ煙草のヤニを人間どもに教へ居つたなその返報には…･」、T52「貴様の恐るる金を受けとれやい！」、T53「こりや小判ぢや小判ぢや」。
Censorship - Date and Number	内務省検閲番号：F4371(1931年4月22日)、[参考]内務省検閲番号：D2888(1929年3月12日)。
References	・ "Introduction to New Movies (Part II): Chiyogami Movie Golden Flower," Eiga Kyoiku, No. 12 (February 1929), p. 30 (with photos). ・ "Outstanding Movie Awards," Ministry of Education Educational Movie Review 8, Social Education Bureau, Ministry of Education, November 1931, p. 46.
Frames per Second	16fps
Source of Digital Copy	The 35mm nitrate positive owned by Ministry of Education -> The 35mm internegative owned by NFC -> The 35mm positive
Completeness	no end title
Additional Notes
Related Links	still photos＜Noburo Ofuji　Memorial Museum / Gallery＞ certificate of merit＜Noburo Ofuji　Memorial Museum / Gallery＞