Crying to the Blue Sky

After losing their parents, Eiichi and his sister Kikue are taken in by their aunt and uncle. Kikue is sent to Tokyo to work as a servant. Left alone, Eiichi wants a model airplane that a friend at school has, but finds found solace in reading the model-making instructions in a magazine that his sister sent him. One day, Eiichi gets into a fight and falls into a river, contracting pneumonia. Presumed to be a lost film.

Directed by Mikio Naruse, Crying to the Blue Sky leans on a strong ensemble — Tomio Aoki, Ryuko Fuji, Tokuji Kobayashi — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1932.