"Seishun Zankoku Monogatari (Cruel Story of Youth)" is the second film directed by 28-year-old Nagisa Oshima and, while hardly the year's best Japanese film, it is nevertheless of more than usual interest. A young girl (Miyuki Kuwano), restless, wanting excitement and experience, takes to accepting rides from men she does not know. A student friend (Yusuke Kawazu) rescues her from the advances of one of the middle-aged drivers but, sensing her vulnerability, takes her on a speed-boat ride and rapes her.
At first he professes to feel little interest in her, partly because he is deeply involved in an affair with an older woman, but gradually his feelings for her deepen. He returns to her, in time to protect her from violence at the hands of young hoodlums.
From this time on the two become lovers; over the rather feeble protests of her family the girl leaves home and goes to live in the student's small, poverty stricken room. They have no money; the young gangsters reappear and have to be given money as the price for the girl's safety. The boy suggests that the girl take to riding with strangers once more, acting as a decoy for the boy who will follow on a motorcycle,?rescue the girl, and obtain money by intimidation.
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