Somersault on the Way

Somersault on the Way (1950) is a music, drama film directed by Torajirō Saitō.

A young boy named Chomatsu (Misora Hibari) lives with an old man Denbei near the grounds of Asakusa temple as bell ringers. In their house is an Echigo lion mask, a memento of Chomatsu's deceased father. After several incidents of Echigo lion masks being destroyed in the area, a local kingpin Saheiji shows up at Denbei's demanded he hand over the mask, a request Denbei rejects out of pity for Chomatsu. However, after it is accidentally revealed that the mask contains an important map, Saheiji plots to steal the mask. Chomatsu gets involved after his mother makes a sudden reappearance that sends the boy on a roundabout journey that will reveal the truth about his family.

Cast

Hibari Misora

Chomatsu

Kodayu Ichikawa

Denbei

Yoshiko Tsubouchi

Oito

Shunji Sakai

Genroku

Chikako Miyagi

Umekichi

Kōkichi Takada

Sashichi

Yoshito Yamaji

Hiroshi Aoyama

Morie Ishida

Haruhisa Kawada

Kenzō Tanaka

Mariko Ogasawara