One of Kōji Wakamatsu's last films - "Caterpillar" is a very strong post-war drama that bravely undermines the prevalent societal condition of blind 'hero worship', along with a cogent anti-war slant. Definitely a 'far cry' from his earlier pinku works, like "Violated Angels", but it's a heavily engrossing film, nonetheless.
A woman's husband comes back from the Second Sino-Japanese War missing his arms and legs, sporting severe facial burns and stricken with total catatonia. He is left for her to care for, solely, while the rest of the village showers him with praise - tagging him as a "war God". Behind closed doors, however, wifey begins losing her patience with the vegetated 'war hero' who only eats, sleeps and begs for sex (which she graciously satiates his need for...), which leads to her lashing out verbally and physically against him. As the film goes on and some background is given, her actions become arguably justified...
Obviously, "Caterpillar" is the opposite of many American-made war films that would never second-guess the virtue of servicemen or women or even shed light on the possibility of returning soldiers having committed violent war crimes. While the film isn't flat out anti-war propaganda, it's message is made clear - most notably at the tail end when some stats are given on the death toll of the WWII atomic blasts on Japan. It's a well-illustrated take on this antithetical prospect of benighted admiration toward someone who appears to be a decorated hero on the surface, but whose unknown sordid past and present burdensome existence only reduces him to a vulnerable pile of shame and regret. "Caterpillar" is definitely a must see, as far as I'm concerned. Great performances and a heavy, bleak and compelling story.
