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Paper short abstract:

My main question is: Is it possible for an adaptation to be faithful to the original? The second point will be the personal relationship between Kawabata and Naruse, and if (or how) this influenced the work of transposing the novel to screen.

Paper long abstract:

The Sound of the Mountain ranks among the most important novels of Kawabata Yasunari (1899-1970), together with The Dancing Girl of Izu (Izu no odoriko, 1926), Snow Country (Yukiguni, 1935-37), and Thousand Cranes (Sembazuru, 1949-51). Kawabata and Naruse Mikio (1905-1969), six years his junior, were acquainted since the early 1930s, and they appreciated each other. Like Tanizaki Jun'ichirô (1886-1965), Kawabata was interested in cinema and participated actively in the production of some films. Their relation might have had an impact on the Naruse's films.

In 1935, Naruse adapted Kawabata's Sisters of Asakusa (Asakusa no shimai, 1932) to the big screen; followed by The Dancer (Maihime, 1950-51, 1951) and The Sound of the Mountain, making Kawabata the second important writer for Naruse, after Hayashi Fumiko with six adaptations.

After general remarks on the relation between text and film, this paper will discuss both works in detail, comparing them for similarities and differences. Special attention will be given to the genesis of the works, since the film was released in January 1954, that is before the publication of the novel was completed (it was serialized from 1949 until March 1954).

Major issues of the conclusion will include the issue of faithfulness of an adaptation to the original work, its importance (or not), and the problem of adaptation in general.