Matsubayashi Shue (松林宗恵)
Shue MATSUBAYASHI (July 7, 1920-) is a movie director in Japan. He was a former naval officer and priest.
Career
He was born the fifth son of a Jodo Shinshu (the True Pure Land Sect of Buddhism) priest in Sakurae-cho, Gotsu City, Shimane Prefecture (formerly Sakurae Town, Ochi County). As he entered elementary school, the family moved to Mangyo-ji Temple in Ihara Village (Onan-cho, Ochi-gun), and he attended Shijo Junior and Senior High School in Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Then he moved to Hiroshima City, transferring to Koryo Junior High School (Currently, Koryo High School (Hiroshima)) in his second year. After graduation in 1938, he moved to Kyoto and then continued his education at the Specialist School of Ryukoku University. He transferred to the College of Art, Nihon University. During his college years he developed a wish to include busshin (mercy like Buddha) in movies, and joined the Assistant Director Division of the Toho File Studio.
He skipped grades, and upon graduation, he joined the Japanese Navy, Third Branch, naval reserve crew. In 1944, he was appointed second lieutenant, and as a naval brigade leader, took 150 men to Amoi City, South China. After the war, he returned to Toho. Thereafter, he transferred to Shintoho along with Kunio WATANABE and Torajiro SAITO during the Toho conflict.
In 1952, he directed his first movie "Tokyo no Ekubo" (Dimple in Tokyo) starring Ken UEHARA. When producer Masumi FUJIMOTO returned to Toho, he resigned his position at Shintoho and returned to Toho. Thereafter, he directed 68 movies in wide-ranging genres, including comedies "Shacho Series" (The Company President Series) starring Hisaya MORISHIGE, and war movies "Rengo Kantai" (Combined Fleet). He is known for having the spirit of a true workman, who filmed movies focusing on the intentions of scriptwriters instead of his own creativity, but always tried to express Busshin in his movies. Currently, he spends his time giving lectures.
In March 2004, Shue Matsubayashi Commemorative Hall of Film was opened within Water World, Museum 104, located in Sakurae-cho, Gotsu City, his home town.