This is the 4th outing for Godzilla and is the first crossover of a Toho monster film character, Mothra!
The plot:
A massive typhoon washes a giant egg onto the beach of a small fishing village. The village claim the egg as theirs as it came from their fishing waters and quickly sell it to an entrepreneur, Kumayama, who hopes to incubate the egg and hatch it. Anyone can come and watch the events, so long as they pay a small fee. Two reporters; Ichiro and Junko, and a Professor Miura, think that staking claim to egg and making it a tourist attraction is wrong and meet at a local hotel to discuss whether or not there is anything they can do about it. Also in the hotel is the business owner Kumayama and the real brains behind this venture a ruthless corporate leader of 'Happy Enterprises', Torahata. The two are meeting to gloat over the million dollar tourist attraction that the egg will be. Their meeting is interrupted by the two "Shobijin" (Twin fairies). These tiny women try to ask the two men to return the egg to them. The men try to capture the girls and almost kill them in the process. The twins escape and find Ichiro, Junko and Miura. Again they plead for the egg to be returned to their home, Infant Island. The girls worry that if the egg, Mothra's egg, hatches the larvae within would inadvertently wreck havoc as it searches food. The trio agree to help but are unsuccessful in convincing Kumayam and Torahata. The girls leave but thank them for trying.
Shortly thereafter Godzilla appears from where he had apparently also been swept ashore and covered by mud. He begins his rampage with the town of Nagoya. As usual the military has little success in stopping the monster. The editor of Sakai's newspaper suggest that maybe Mothra could be asked to help. He sends Sakai and Junko to Infant island to ask for help.
The two arrive at Infant island along with Miura and see the damage that was caused by atomic testing on the island years ago. They are captured by the villagers who refuse to help the people of Japan due to the atomic tests and their failure to return the egg to them.
Junko pleads to the Shobijin and the villagers that they shouldn't blame everyone for the mistakes of the past and a few greedy people. They are all human and therefore connected and must help each other. Mothra's screech is heard and they follow the small girls to Mothra's sanctuary where she agrees to help but, as the Shobijin explain, Mothra is old and weak. Even if she succeeds in stopping Godzilla she will most likely die.
A short time later back in Japan, Godzilla continues his rampage and quickly finds the egg. He approaches it and is poised to destroy it when Mothra appears. The two fight a tough battle and it appears that Mothra has the upper hand until Godzilla manages a lethal hit with his atomic breath. Mothra falls to the ground next to the egg and Godzilla, having won the battle walks away.
The Shobijin begin singing their song to Mothra. If the egg can be hatched today, all may not be lost.
The military try to stop Godzilla with "artificial lightning" but fail. The egg finally hatches and two larvae emerge. They follow Godzilla and use their silk spray to trap him and force him into the sea.
The larvae and the Shobijin return to Infant island in celebration.
My thoughts:
I'd be lying if i said I didn't have a soft spot for Mothra. She is maybe my favorite Toho monsters after Godzilla. I think it may be in part due to the fact that she is the only other monster besides Godzilla that comes with her own theme song! This film, like King Kong vs. Godzilla before it, has a fairly scathing commentary on rampant commercialism. The film goes to great lengths to make the point that you shouldn't sacrifice your humanity for a profit. The two men who see nothing but dollar signs in the egg and the Fairy twins both meet their ends while trying protect the money they love so much while the three heroes that want nothing but what is best for the islanders and the Shobijin, come out unscathed in the debt of a couple of giant Mothra larvae! This is the last time we see the Godzilla franchise taken completely seriously. The following sequels throughout the 60's and 70's are done in a lighter tone and include many comical moments to try and appeal to the children and a wider audience in general. For that reason alone, a must see for anyone interested in "Kaiju" films.
The Mothra Song
_________________ "Too Soon from the Cave, Too Far from the Stars"
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