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Ozu’s penultimate film returns to the
genre closest to his heart - the intimate
portrayal of Japanese family life, ex-
ploring the breakdown of traditional family
values in the face of postwar progress.
It owes a great deal to many of his earlier
shomin-geki - family films like 'Tokyo Story'. The Kohayakawa family sets about
running its sake business, arranging to
marry off its youngest daughter Noriko,
and exploring the possibility of helping
their widowed daughter-in-law Akiko to
remarry. |
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Meanwhile the head of the family, Manbei, sneaks out daily, to visit a former mistress. Manbei’s behaviour upsets his daughter Fumiko, who furiously rebukes him.
When Manbei has a sudden heart attack, recriminations are set aside as the family rally round the ailing patriarch. However, Manbei soon resumes his philandering ways. The passing of the old order and a resigned acceptance of the inevitability of change finds perfect expression in Ozu’s pared down visual style, revealing his characters in both a compassionate and humourous light. |
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