Set in a courtroom style drama about the death of a local fisherman, Carl Steine. There is flashback techniques used to covey the subplot and to link it back to the present day drama.
The local newspaper editor, Ishamel Chambers is covering the story not only with professional interest but with personal interest as well. Years ago when he was a child, Ishamel was in love with his neighbor, a Japanese American girl named Hatsue. The historical context of this time is during the Pearl Harbour attack where there is great hostility towards the Japanese in America. The sub story of the innocent childhood romance between Hatsue and Ishamel is explored in it's entirely throughout the film. Ishamel loves Hatsue but due to the circumstances surrounding them, she is sent off to a holding facility in California. There, she writes a letter calling off her engagement with him, her reasons cited as she is not sure whether she truly loves him or not.Whilst there she meets a Japanese man, Kazou and falls in love with him. Meanwhile Ishamel is over fighting in the war.
While he is fighting underwater, his arm is injured and has to be amputated. Ishamel blames Kastue for his amputated arm as he was thinking of her tragic letter as the fighting had occurred. When he comes back to his hometown ( now in the 1950's) he hopes to rekindle their relationship but in a tragic twist she is married to that Japanese man, Kazou. Ishamel is devastated with the loss of losing his arm and now with losing his only love. In attempt of closure, he asks her to hold him one last time, which she rejects as she is now married and has a husband. Another reason why she rejects this is that it was asked as a favor from him which leads the audience to question whether or not she really loved him, as proved by the letter which renounced their relationship and spoke of truths which indicates that Katsue had never loved him.
Ishamel has now discovered evidence which can free her husband from Jail and he now has a morals dilemma of whether to submit this piece of evidence or not. He is conflicted, as he wants to not submit the evidence so that he may be with Katsue again or submit the evidence and go with his moral judgment and not be with Katsue but stay true to his principals installed within him by his once alive father.
Ishamel must decide on what to do and whether to do the right thing, or to do the wrong thing and revive the possibility of getting the only thing that he has ever wanted.
The local newspaper editor, Ishamel Chambers is covering the story not only with professional interest but with personal interest as well. Years ago when he was a child, Ishamel was in love with his neighbor, a Japanese American girl named Hatsue. The historical context of this time is during the Pearl Harbour attack where there is great hostility towards the Japanese in America. The sub story of the innocent childhood romance between Hatsue and Ishamel is explored in it's entirely throughout the film. Ishamel loves Hatsue but due to the circumstances surrounding them, she is sent off to a holding facility in California. There, she writes a letter calling off her engagement with him, her reasons cited as she is not sure whether she truly loves him or not.Whilst there she meets a Japanese man, Kazou and falls in love with him. Meanwhile Ishamel is over fighting in the war.
While he is fighting underwater, his arm is injured and has to be amputated. Ishamel blames Kastue for his amputated arm as he was thinking of her tragic letter as the fighting had occurred. When he comes back to his hometown ( now in the 1950's) he hopes to rekindle their relationship but in a tragic twist she is married to that Japanese man, Kazou. Ishamel is devastated with the loss of losing his arm and now with losing his only love. In attempt of closure, he asks her to hold him one last time, which she rejects as she is now married and has a husband. Another reason why she rejects this is that it was asked as a favor from him which leads the audience to question whether or not she really loved him, as proved by the letter which renounced their relationship and spoke of truths which indicates that Katsue had never loved him.
Ishamel has now discovered evidence which can free her husband from Jail and he now has a morals dilemma of whether to submit this piece of evidence or not. He is conflicted, as he wants to not submit the evidence so that he may be with Katsue again or submit the evidence and go with his moral judgment and not be with Katsue but stay true to his principals installed within him by his once alive father.
Ishamel must decide on what to do and whether to do the right thing, or to do the wrong thing and revive the possibility of getting the only thing that he has ever wanted.