YASUJIRO OZU

Bil’s rating (out of 5): BBBB.  Japan, 1960.  Shôchiku Eiga.  Screenplay by Yasujiro Ozu, Kogo Noda, based on the novel by Ton Satomi.  Cinematography by Yuharu Atsuta.  Produced by Shizuo Yamanouchi.  Music by Takanobu Saito.  Production Design by Tomiji Shimizu. Costume Design by Toshikazu Sugiyama.  Film Editing by Yoshiyasu Hamamura.  

At the memorial service of a deceased friend, three meddlesome men remember their youthful rivalry over the departed friend’s widow and marvel at how radiant she still is after so many years. They also find her daughter thoroughly charming, resolving to fix her up with a nice boy so that she can marry and find happiness in love. The girl is charmed by the idea, but instead decides to stay single so as to not leave her lonely mother without anyone to care for her. When her mother is presented with the possibility of remarriage herself, the tables turn and emotional consequences veer towards the unexpected. This Yasujiro Ozu classic, a companion to the similarly themed Late Spring, is told with all the eloquence, style and superior craftsmanship that the director infused in all his films. The colours are beautiful and the subtle emotional qualities are exquisitely understated.