| Tora-san, the Matchmaker | |
| Director: | Yoji Yamada |
| Starring: | Kiyoshi Atsumi Kaori Momoi |
| Music: | Naozumi Yamamoto |
| Cinematography: | Tetsuo Takaba |
| Editing: | Iwao Ishii |
| Distributor: | Shochiku |
| Runtime: | 107 minutes |
| Country: | Japan |
| Language: | Japanese |
Tora-san Riding High[1] is a 1979 Japanese comedy film directed by Yoji Yamada. It stars Kiyoshi Atsumi as Torajirō Kuruma (Tora-san), and Kaori Momoi as his love interest or "Madonna".[2] Tora-san, the Matchmaker is the twenty-third entry in the popular, long-running Otoko wa Tsurai yo series.
Tora-san convinces the hesitant Hitomi to go through with her plans to marry her intended spouse.[3] [4] [5]
Tora-san, the Matchmaker was the third top box-office film in Japan for the year of 1979.[4] For his performances in Tora-san, the Matchmaker and the next entry in the series, Tora-san's Dream of Spring (also 1979), Kiyoshi Atsumi was nominated for Best Actor at the Japan Academy Prize ceremony. Chieko Baisho was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the same ceremony for both films also.[7]
Stuart Galbraith IV writes that one of the pleasures of Tora-san, the Matchmaker is in the performance of noted actress Michiyo Kogure in one of her last roles.[4] The German-language site molodezhnaja gives Tora-san, the Matchmaker three out of five stars.[8]
Tora-san, the Matchmaker was released theatrically on August 4, 1979.[9] In Japan, the film was released on videotape in 1996, and in DVD format in 2000, 2005, and 2008.[10]