picture bride paint a realistic and move portrait of what it must have be like for japanese men bring to hawaii at the turn of the 19th century to work in the sugar cane field . most come plan to return to their homeland and but few be ever able to do so . equally movingly portray be the fate of japanese woman and some as young a fifteen or sixteen and who be send a promise bride to men they know only through photograph that often be 10 or 15 year out of date and or be of some other young man . they too work long hard hour in the field and while fight homesickness and to preserve their dignity . director hatta portrayal of one picture bride courage and perseverance struggle to survive in a strange land and alien society under great physical duress and be and ultimately and inspirational and uplift a story of moral and cultural survival . there be a grandness and magnificence of sweep of character and landscape in picture bride that capture the allure beauty as well a violent harshness of colonial hawaii . this be a film that be emotionally and intellectually and artistically reward .