Tonight's Movie: In Search of Ozu (2018) on FilmStruck

As regular readers are aware, earlier this year the FilmStruck streaming service expanded its offerings from foreign, indie, and Criterion Collection films to also include a "TCM Select" line of rotating classic films from the Warner Bros. library.

In all honesty, while it's attractive, FilmStruck hasn't been something I "need," simply because of my extensive personal film library, including many Criterion Collection films. However, I'm interested in things the service provides which aren't available elsewhere, such as the attractively curated collections of titles with brand-new FilmStruck intros by hosts such as Alicia Malone, Eddie Muller, and Ben Mankiewicz, and more importantly, long-form programming which can only be found on FilmStruck.

The new documentary IN SEARCH OF OZU (2018), about the great Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu, is a terrific example of the kind of unique presentation which could cause me to become a permanent FilmStruck subscriber. I activated my free month-long trial this weekend in order to watch this documentary, which I understand is currently only available on FilmStruck.

IN SEARCH OF OZU was written and directed by Daniel Raim, who was also behind the excellent documentary HAROLD AND LILLIAN: A HOLLYWOOD LOVE STORY (2015).

Filmed in Japan last year, the 46-minute documentary explores carefully stored museum pieces from Ozu's films, using them as the springboard to consider his career, particularly the color films made in the latter years of his filmography.

The film's consideration of graphic design and the use of color in these films is fascinating; while he variously had art and set decorators and production designers, to a large extent Ozu served as his own production designer, influencing the look of his films in countless ways. He was much more than a director; he was a visual stylist.

Ozu designed and handwrote many of the title sequences for his films. He hand painted some of the cups seen in his movies, which still exist today, and coordinated wardrobes to complement carefully chosen posters and artwork. Ozu also personally designed the street signs for businesses such as the bars his characters frequent.

One of the museum treasures we're shown is a beautiful red tea kettle chosen by Ozu; it's jokingly referred to as the "teleporting tea kettle" because of the way it randomly turns up in various shots.

Another fascinating artifact was the "crab legs" low tripod from which he shot so many low angle scenes.

After collaborating with others on scripts, Ozu would write the complete movie scripts out in notebooks using handwritten Japanese characters; he then color coded the pages for different characters and to match numbered storyboards. Ozu would "see" a film more as a series of visuals than as written words; peeking into his creative process via these notebooks is quite fascinating.

The film has additional insights provided by Japanese film historians, along with Ozu's nephew and the producer of his last film, AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON (1962).

So that potential viewers understand what the film does and doesn't cover, the film touches briefly on Ozu's personal life, particularly his close relationship with his mother, and discusses in efficient fashion how his career evolved over the decades, but it's not an in-depth look at his complete career; for example, it doesn't delve into Ozu's longstanding collaborations with actors like Setsuko Hara and Chishu Ryu, and it doesn't review most of his films in extensive detail. And since the focus is on Ozu's use of color and design, his black and white films are only mentioned briefly.

That explained, IN SEARCH OF OZU does an excellent job keying viewers in on some of the things which made Ozu's films so memorable and visually striking. My favorite Ozu films are his color films, for just this reason, so I particularly appreciated and enjoyed the documentary. I highly recommend it both for those who already love Ozu and those who are just discovering his movies, as it provides a guide to interesting aspects to watch for in his films.

A clip from the documentary may be seen at the Criterion site.

Regarding the FilmStruck service, I'm not sure if it was a transient issue or something more problematic, but I did have trouble streaming FilmStruck on my TV via my Roku, as it constantly paused to buffer. After 15 minutes of interruptions I switched to watching the documentary on my iPad and had no problems at all.

For those wishing to try FilmStruck, visit the FilmStruck website to sign up for a free two-week trial subscription. The regular monthly fee, including TCM Select films, is $6.99; adding the Criterion Channel brings the monthly cost to $10.99. For those willing to make a long-term commitment, the annual fee of $99, including the Criterion Channel, saves subscribers $32 per year.

For related links, here are my past reviews of Ozu films: LATE SPRING (1949), EARLY SUMMER (1951), TOKYO STORY (1953), EQUINOX FLOWER (1958), GOOD MORNING (1959), LATE AUTUMN (1960), and THE END OF SUMMER (1961).

Tonight's Movie: The End of Summer (1961)

It's been a few months since I last watched a film directed by Yasujiro Ozu. I returned to his work this evening with his next-to-last film, THE END OF SUMMER (1961).

THE END OF SUMMER, called KOHAYAGAWA-KE NO AKI in Japan, will have a familiar feel for those who love Ozu films, though it's perhaps a bit more somber than most.

The film is the story of the family of Kohayagawa Manbei (Ganjiro Nakamura). He's concerned about the marriage prospects of widowed daughter Akiko (Setsuko Hara) and younger Noriko (Yoko Tsukasa). Meanwhile daughter Fumiko (Michiyo Aratama) and her husband Hisao (Keiju Kobayashi) struggle keeping the family sake business afloat.

And Manbei himself has taken to disappearing without explanation; he's been visiting a former mistress (Chieko Naniwa) he hadn't seen for many years.

As always with Ozu films, the story is told with a gentle, tranquil rhythm which soothes the viewer even as the characters contemplate some of life's greatest decisions and problems. Akiko isn't sure she wishes to remarry, and Noriko is interested in a possible suitor who differs from the one selected by her family -- and who has moved far away. Fumiko struggles with bitterness at her father spending time with the woman whose role in his life had made her late mother sad.

All this is set aside, however, when Manbei becomes critically ill.

The film ultimately becomes a meditation on the meaning of life, with Ozu regular Chishu Ryu showing up late in the film as a farmer who discusses the "circle of life" with his wife as a family mourns. Ryu's importance as father and brother in other Ozu films gives his appearance layers of significance which might not be realized by a viewer new to Ozu. These moving scenes blend sadness with serenity and acceptance.

One almost needs a scorecard to track the many players in this film, but gradually the characters sort themselves out. Front and center are Hara and Tsukasa, who had played mother and daughter in the previous year's LATE AUTUMN (1960); though they are sisters here, their roles are similar to the earlier film. The older, traditionally dressed Hara wants her life to go on as it is, while urging the younger woman, who usually wears Western dress, to marry.

Like other Ozu films, the movie also incorporates looks at postwar Westernization. The neon sign flashing "New Japan" seems a particularly blatant commentary! There are the ever-present Coca-Cola signs, and most curiously, Manbei's possible illegitimate daughter (Reiko Dan) makes the sign of the cross as she briefly prays at his bedside.

Though not one of my top favorite Ozu films, I've found that any Ozu film is very much worth seeing. The language, the emotions, and the beautiful images wash over the viewer in a way which is most satisfying. I was almost surprised when the film's 103 minutes came to an end; I hadn't glanced at the clock once, I was so absorbed in the story.

THE END OF SUMMER was filmed by Asakazu Nakai.

THE END OF SUMMER is part of the five-film Late Ozu set from the Criterion Collection.

Previously reviewed Ozu films: LATE SPRING (1949), EARLY SUMMER (1951), EQUINOX FLOWER (1958), GOOD MORNING (1959), and LATE AUTUMN (1960).

Update: More Ozu reviews: WHAT DID THE LADY FORGET? (1937), FLAVOR OF GREEN TEA OVER RICE (1952), TOKYO STORY (1953), and AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON (1962).

TCM in May: Highlights

It's time for a look at the May schedule on Turner Classic Movies!

Gregory Peck is the May Star of the Month. Approximately 20 Peck films will be shown spread across Friday evenings this month.

The May Noir Alley films will be DRUNKEN ANGEL (1948) on May 2nd and 3rd, THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS (1946) on the 9th and 10th, STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951) May 16th-17th, and HOUSE OF NUMBERS (1957) on the 30th and 31st.

I love the May Special Theme, focusing on Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu every Tuesday evening. Several Ozu films will have their TCM premieres, including the new TCM documenary THE OZU DIARIES (2025), plus WHAT DID THE LADY FORGET? (1937), BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF THE TODA FAMILY (1941), FLAVOR OF GREEN TEA OVER RICE (1952), which is seen in this photo, and more.

Details on the entire Ozu series may be found in this TCM press release, and I encourage those interested to print out the Ozu schedule included in the release, as this is a very special series. (Seen here, Setsuko Hara in LATE SPRING.)

THE OZU DIARIES will also be shown at this month's TCM Classic Film Festival, and I hope to see it there.

The TCM Spotlight will be focused on biographies of Hollywood filmmakers on Wednesday, with films including MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES (1957), TOO MUCH, TOON SOON (1958), and GABLE AND LOMBARD (1976).

As usual, there is also special May programming for Mother's Day (May 10th) and Memorial Day Weekend (May 22nd-25th).

Below are just a few of this month's highlights. Please click on any hyperlinked title for my extended review.

...A six-film daytime birthday tribute to Glenn Ford on May 1st is followed by the first evening of Gregory Peck films, including Hitchcock's SPELLBOUND (1945), costarring Ingrid Bergman.

...Amy Irving and Peter Riegert star in the romance CROSSING DELANCEY (1988) on Saturday evening, May 2nd.

...The 70th anniversary of John Ford's THE SEARCHERS (1956) will be marked by TCM on Sunday evening, May 3rd.

...A day of 1950s sci-fi on May 4th includes one of my very favorites of that genre, THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953). My favorite scene has Lee Van Cleef (seen here) as an army sharpshooter trying to take out the beast, who's atop a flaming roller coaster!

...The May 6th schedule features tap dancing, including Eleanor Powell in BROADWAY MELODY OF 1936 (1935) and BORN TO DANCE (1936).

...An interesting series on May 7th, continuing on May 14th, is "games people play," with movies featuring various types of games.  The lineup on May 7th includes one of Audie Murphy's very best films, NO NAME ON THE BULLET (1959), in which he plays chess with Charles Drake.

...The second evening of Gregory Peck films, on May 9th, includes William Wyler's excellent THE BIG COUNTRY (1958). I must confess, however, that I find Charlton's Heston's anti-hero character more interesting than Peck's hero!

...There's a terrific lineup for Mother's Day on May 10th, including (of course!) MILDRED PIERCE (1945). I especially recommend I REMEMBER MAMA (1948), which I revisited last year for the first time in many years; I came away thoroughly impressed with it.

...A day of films from director Edward Dmytryk on May 11th includes a "B" movie I enjoyed, SEVEN MILES FROM ALCATRAZ (1942), starring James Craig and Bonita Granville.

...I've seen every one of the nine film noir and crime titles TCM is airing during the day on May 12th; it's a great day to stay home and watch movies, one after the other! That evening, the Yasujiro Ozu films include the title that might be my favorite of many great Ozu movies, EARLY SUMMER (1951), starring the great Setsuko Hara.

...May 14th features crime films, including the entertaining WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS (1956), with Dana Andrews heading an all-star cast.

...10 pre-Code melodramas will be shown on May 15th. I've seen most of them, and it's another great day of viewing, including the film which is perhaps my very favorite pre-Code, MIDNIGHT MARY (1933). MIDNIGHT MARY stars Loretta Young, Franchot Tone, and Ricardo Cortez.

...Rodgers and Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC (1958) is a perfect Sunday afternoon musical, showing on May 17th. I find it's a much better film than is generally recognized.

...The May 18th theme is "sisters," with a terrific lineup including TWO GIRLS AND A SAILOR (1944), LITTLE WOMEN (1933), MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944), and THE MAKIOKA SISTERS (1983).

...1950s musicals are the daytime lineup on May 19th, including enjoyable films such as THE BELLE OF NEW YORK (1952), DUCHESS OF IDAHO (1950), and STRICTLY DISHONORABLE (1951). A Mario Lanza film I recently enjoyed, FOR THE FIRST TIME (1959), is also part of the lineup, and I'm intrigued by a film I've never before seen, BRING YOUR SMILE ALONG (1955), starring Frankie Laine, Keefe Brasselle, and Constance Towers.

...There's a great lineup of movies directed by Nicholas Ray on May 20th, including ON DANGEROUS GROUND (1952), starring Robert Ryan and Ida Lupino.

...The "Counting Up" theme on May 21st begins with ONE MILLION B.C. (1940). Every film has a number in the title, including one of my very favorite films, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954).

...On Friday evening, May 22nd, the Memorial Day weekend war film marathon begins by overlapping with an evening of Gregory Peck Star of the Month movies, with a lineup that includes MACARTHUR (1977) and THE GUNS OF NAVARONE (1961).

...The films on May 23rd include the very good THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO (1944), starring Spencer Tracy and Van Johnson. It's of note that Tracy and Johnson had also combined for the previous war film A GUY NAMED JOE (1943), which made Johnson a star. I saw A GUY NAMED JOE last year at the TCM Classic Film Festival and enjoyed my revisit.

...The war films on May 24th include PRIDE OF THE MARINES (1945), an excellent film starring John Garfield and Eleanor Parker.

...Memorial Day, on May 25th, will include a showing of one of the very greatest war films, William Wellman's BATTLEGROUND (1949) -- which coincidentally also stars Van Johnson.

...The Ozu films on May 26th include the first of his films I ever saw, EQUINOX FLOWER (1958). Clearly I liked it very much, as it started me down the path of viewing many more Ozu movies in the years since.

...I really enjoy THE LAST OF MRS. CHEYNEY (1937), a very entertaining romance starring Joan Crawford, Robert Montgomery, and William Powell. It airs on May 28th.

For more on TCM in May, please visit my Quick Preview of TCM in May along with TCM's online schedule.

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Tonight's Movie: An Autumn Afternoon (1962)

In his 2011 review of Yasujiro Ozu's AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON (1962), Roger Ebert wrote "From time to time I return to Ozu feeling a need to be calmed and restored."

Over the last few years I've become familiar with that feeling, and when I felt the need for a cinematic "palate cleanser" after the sordidness of THE TARNISHED ANGELS (1957), Ozu was the first thing which popped into my head. I know any one of his movies will be peaceful and soothing, while simultaneously causing me to Think Big Thoughts about life, and watching AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON was really the perfect choice after the previous movie.

AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON, known in its native Japan as SANMA NO AJI, was sadly the director's last film; he died in 1963. It follows the pattern of a number of his earlier films, in which a parent (Chishu Ryu) must part with a beloved child (Shima Iwashita) when she marries.

Ozu's films are slow yet never dull, taking the viewer on a naturalistic journey through the characters' lives. A series of circumstances convinces the widowed Hirayama (Ryu) that it's in his daughter's best interest to marry so that she can have a home of her own and not spend the remainder of her life caring for him, ultimately to be left alone.

There is heartbreak -- a hoped-for match which is not to be, a father beginning life alone the night of the wedding -- but also comedy and great beauty. Some of Ozu's trademark static shots of signs and objects made me sigh with bliss, appreciating the bright pops of red against the pale backgrounds, and the first shot of Michiko in her wedding dress is exquisite.

Again like some of his previous films, Ozu uses an elliptical style which sometimes omits important moments. Just as EQUINOX FLOWER (1958), to name one example, skips the daughter's wedding, in AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON we never once see the bridegroom! I regretted him not appearing in a single scene, but it was an interesting choice.

I always love the baseball scenes in Ozu's movies, and there's a marvelous sequence where a game is being watched in a bar; I love the familiar rhythms of the game described in Japanese. Also fun was a rooftop driving range and Hirayama's son (Keiji Sada) being obsessed with MacGregor golf clubs.

I was intrigued by a discussion about what life would have been like if Japan had won the war, with Hirayama ultimately saying he thinks it's good Japan lost. Fascinating stuff.

There tends to be much drinking of sake in Ozu's films, but I felt that the drinking seemed to be rather overboard this time around, especially as Hirayama repeatedly runs into his old teacher (Eijiro Tono), who now runs a noodle shop and gets blitzed every time they get together. There were times I really wanted to take the bottle away from the fictional characters I was watching! But while they tend to drink much too much, it doesn't mar the film; I suppose it just makes them human.

Most importantly, the deceptively simple story causes the viewer to contemplate family, relationships, and the circle of life. While there are surface differences between life in the U.S. and Japan, starting with arranged marriages, the big issues of life are universal.

AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON runs 103 minutes. It was written by the director and Kogo Noda. The movie was filmed by Yuhara Atsuta.

I watched AN AUTUMN AFTERNOON on Criterion's DVD. The extras include a commentary track by Donald Bordwell.

Previously reviewed Ozu films: WHAT DID THE LADY FORGET? (1937), LATE SPRING (1949), EARLY SUMMER (1951), FLAVOR OF GREEN TEA OVER RICE (1952), TOKYO STORY (1953), EQUINOX FLOWER (1958), GOOD MORNING (1959), LATE AUTUMN (1960), and THE END OF SUMMER (1961).

Related review: IN SEARCH OF OZU (2018).

Tonight's Movie: Tokyo Story (1953)

I'm moving steadily along posting reviews from my 2016 list of 10 Classics! Today it's Yasujiro Ozu's TOKYO STORY (1953).

TOKYO STORY, called TOKYO MONOGATARI in its native Japan, is widely considered Ozu's masterpiece, and yes, it's as great as advertised.

TOKYO STORY is the third of the "Noriko Trilogy," in which the brilliant and beautiful Setsuko Hara played different characters who were all named Noriko. The first of these films was LATE SPRING (1949) and the next, which was probably my favorite, was EARLY SUMMER (1951).

Though I favor EARLY SUMMER because I especially enjoyed how Hara's independent young woman takes her destiny into her own hands, all three films are superb, and I couldn't argue with anyone who thinks TOKYO STORY is the finest of the three. Like all of Ozu's films, underneath a relatively simple story the movie has a great deal to say about the universal human condition.

In TOKYO STORY a retired couple (Chishu Ryu and Chieko Higashiyama) leave their youngest daughter (Kyoka Kagawa), a teacher, at home and take the train to Tokyo to visit their other children.

The children are initially glad to see them yet haven't made any arrangements to take time off work, and they're feeling rather harried fitting time with their parents into their already busy schedules. The oldest son (So Yamamura) is a doctor, and his wife (Kuniko Miyake) helps with the business he runs out of their home while caring for their sons.

Their daughter (Haruko Sugimura), a hairdresser, is the most selfish of the children, treating her parents with blunt rudeness at times and even begrudging what her husband (Nobuo Nakamura) spends to treat them to some nice cakes; she remonstrates that he should have bought crackers instead.

Noriko (Hara) is the widow of their son who was killed during the war, and she genuinely enjoys her time with her parents-in-law, even taking a day off work to show them around the city. But she has but a single small room, with running water only available down the hall, so is not equipped to host them long term.

Ultimately the older son and daughter decide the "solution" to keeping their parents entertained is to treat them to a stay at a spa -- which would be nice except that it rather defeats the point of the visit, seeing the children.

The parents decide to head home, briefly seeing another son (Shirô Ôsaka) along the way, but soon after arriving home, the mother becomes seriously ill, and the children are once more pulled out of their daily routines to spend time with their parents.

Ozu's films fascinate me in part because they dramatize human situations to which anyone can relate, yet the story is told in what is, for me, a fresh and interesting setting, postwar Japan. The cramped homes, the juxtaposition of modern trains with Japanese architecture, the ancient customs alongside American baseball caps -- it's all fascinating.

Though one of the children is clearly more selfish than the rest, for the most part these are good people just trying to muddle along and figure things out; sometimes they get it right and sometimes they mess up -- including the father, who once had issues with drinking. Life can be both beautiful and challenging.

All of Ozu's films seen to date, including this one, address dealing with inevitable life changes. Given the multigenerational aspects of the story, I suspect it's a film which would be rewarding to revisit at different stages of life.

Though TOKYO STORY, like other Ozu films, is very deliberate, taking 136 minutes to tell its story, it's never slow, holding the attention throughout.

Last summer my friend Kristina wrote something terrific about Ozu's films: “The solid settings and framing, and the mostly grounded, static camera give the impression that all concerns and people will pass, and we’re here for just an instant, on a permanent landscape, among scores of others with the very same issues.” Beautifully stated and so true.

Viewers will recognize many members of Ozu's "stock" company, starting with Hara and Ryu. Hara has a very powerful scene late in the film when her cheerful facade finally breaks down and she confesses to unhappy loneliness, and Ryu, facing the same issue going forward, is equally moving. There are scenes here which are as poignant as that famous scene where he peels an apple at the end of LATE SPRING.

Very highly recommended.

TOKYO STORY is available on DVD and Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection. Many extras are included including documentaries and a commentary track.

Previously reviewed Ozu films: LATE SPRING (1949), EARLY SUMMER (1951), EQUINOX FLOWER (1958), GOOD MORNING (1959), LATE AUTUMN (1960), and THE END OF SUMMER (1961).

Tonight's Movie: Early Summer (1951)

Note: This post is my contribution to the Criterion Blogathon being hosted by Aaron at Criterion Blues, Kristina at Speakeasy, and Ruth at Silver Screenings. The blogathon runs all week, from November 16th through the 20th. Be sure to visit all three sites for lots of links on movies available from the Criterion Collection. There are dozens of participants! My post will be found linked at the blogathon under "Japan" on Thursday, November 19th.

EARLY SUMMER (1951), known as BAKUSHU in the film's native Japan, is a marvelous movie directed by one of Japan's greatest directors, Yasujiro Ozu. It's available on DVD from the Criterion Collection.

28-year-old Noriko (Setsuko Hara) lives in Tokyo with her physician brother (Chishu Ryu), his wife (Kuniko Miyake), her two nephews, and her parents (Ichiro Sugai and Chieko Higashiyama). Noriko is a modern miss who wears Western dress and is content with her life as a working girl, helping to support the family. However, the family is concerned that Noriko is not yet married, on the verge of becoming an "old maid."

One day Noriko's boss (Shûji Sano) gives her photos of a friend of his who is 40 and looking for a wife. Noriko's family all support the idea of an arranged marriage between Noriko and her employer's friend, but Noriko surprises her family by taking her destiny into her own hands. (Spoiler alert, major plot details follow.)

This was a wonderful film, cowritten by the director and Kogu Noda. Although the themes in the Ozu films I've seen tend to be the same -- the importance of marriage, the "circle of life," the Westernization of Japan -- and he uses a familiar stock company of actors, it's the variations on the themes which make each film so individually interesting.

While it has serious and moving moments, the overall tone of EARLY SUMMER is in a more lighthearted vein than some Ozu films. The characters include bossy little boys who foreshadow the TV-obsessed children in Ozu's GOOD MORNING (1959) half a dozen years later; this time around they're obsessed with model trains! A scene where the grownups giddily hide an expensive cake from one of the boys was one of my favorite moments.

A movie like EARLY SUMMER is deceptively simple; at times it may seem not much is happening, yet moments and images from Ozu films stay with the viewer, still resonating months or years later. Ozu's movies are unhurried enough for the viewer to carefully explore every nuance and every bit of the frame, yet the pace is never too slow; his films demand attention from the opening credits music straight through to the end.

David Bordwell's essay in the Criterion Collection DVD set likens the opening of EARLY SUMMER to MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944), with its gradual introduction of a multigenerational family going about their daily lives. Since MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS is one of my favorite films, that caught my attention, and I felt his description was apt. In fact, it's worth noting that the "boy next door," Kenkichi (Hiroshi Nihon'yanagi), is a key character. Kenkichi is a widowed doctor who lives with his mother and two-year-old daughter.

Other reviewers have likened Noriko's independence and intelligence to Elizabeth Bennett of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Despite the pressure to marry, she has her own ideas. Setsuko Hara is utterly endearing in the role. Hara is still living today, age 95; rather like Deanna Durbin, when she retired in the '60s she was determined to put her career behind her and, as far as I can tell, went completely "off the grid."

The scene where the neighbor's mother (Haruko Sugimura) confides to Noriko that her dream has been for her widowed son to marry Noriko and Noriko spontaneously says "I accept" is wonderfully startling, because to a great extent the viewer hasn't known what's going on behind Noriko's ever-cheerful smile. In fact, it seems that Noriko herself doesn't realize her feelings for Kenkichi until confronted with the knowledge that he must move away.

That scene is also fascinating from a cultural perspective, that two women could settle this matter without a word from the intended groom! The mother's sobbing gratitude and relief is most touching, asking Noriko over and over whether she really means it, meanwhile I'm thinking "What about Kenkichi?" He comes home and his mother announces he's going to marry Noriko, and he doesn't even seem very startled that it's been settled for him, he simply quietly absorbs the news. I loved this scene as it's one of those which illustrates how important it is to watch carefully -- oh, so slowly, a hint of a smile emerges on Kenkichi's face.

Her family is unhappy about her choice, because Kenkichi has a child -- and perhaps even more so because she took control of her own situation instead of yielding to her family's preferred candidate. Yet as Noriko sensibly points out, she has more reason to trust a family man than a 40-year-old who was still unmarried; her decision seems wise and logical.

One of the things which struck me about EARLY SUMMER was that the "elliptical" storytelling style in vogue today, most notably in TV's MAD MEN, was perfected by Ozu decades ago. Things are left unexplained or happen offscreen, there are jumps forward in time, and so on. It's an interesting paradox that a film as patiently, carefully detailed as EARLY SUMMER also leaves a great deal to the viewer's imagination. For example, as with other Ozu films, we don't actually get to see the wedding!

The postwar Westernization undercurrent threaded through Ozu's movies is always very interesting to me. Here we see the older ladies in traditional Japanese kimonos, while Noriko's older sister-in-law goes back and forth between traditional and Western styles; Noriko herself is only seen in Western dress.

Coca-Cola is a prominent symbol of the West in at least a couple of Ozu's films; in LATE SPRING characters ride their bikes past a Coca-Cola roadside sign. In a charming scene in EARLY SUMMER, Noriko's friend Aya (Chikage Awashima) confides she thought Noriko would marry a wealthy man and have a refrigerator filled with Coca-Cola!

It's also interesting to note that while two of the characters are doctors, that did not guarantee financial security in postwar Japan; both doctors' families are comfortable, but only just. Noriko and her sister-in-law discuss the strict economizing which will be necessary without Noriko's salary -- no more cakes!

A side note, it was a bit startling recognizing Chishu Ryu as Noriko's brother; I thought of him as an elderly man due to his performance as Hara's father in LATE SPRING (1949). He was actually only in his 40s when he made LATE SPRING, which makes his performance in that movie all the more remarkable.

EARLY SUMMER was beautiful filmed in black and white by Yuharu Atsuta. The movie runs 124 minutes.

Very highly recommended.

Previously reviewed Ozu films: LATE SPRING (1949), EQUINOX FLOWER (1958), GOOD MORNING (1959), and LATE AUTUMN (1960).

Tonight's Movie: What Did the Lady Forget? (1937)

This month I'm going to be making a big push to see several not-on-DVD films directed by Yasujiro Ozu which are available on the FilmStruck streaming service.

FilmStruck is being shut down by AT&T/Warner on November 29th, so I have a little less than a month to catch as many titles as possible.

The FilmStruck shutdown, incidentally, continues to be the talk of classic film circles on social media. At this writing a petition asking AT&T/Warner not to kick the beloved service to the curb has passed 17,000 signatures. It seems unlikely this will change the minds of a company which doesn't want to focus on smaller "niche" services but it's good to see so many people rallying behind classic film.

WHAT DID THE LADY FORGET? is a relatively short Ozu film, clocking in at just 71 minutes. In this story written by Ozu and Akira Fushimi, a well-off medical professor, Komiya (Tatsuo Saito), and his wife Tokiko (Sumiko Kurishima) host her strong-willed niece Setsuko (Michiko Kuwano) for an extended visit.

Setsuko persuades her uncle to skip a day at the golf course and take her to see a geisha house. After the night out, the uncle ends up sleeping at the home of his assistant, Okada (Shuji Sano), who also delivers Setsuko back home. When uncle and niece attempt to prevent his bossy, suspicious wife from hearing about their "unauthorized" excursion, things go from bad to worse as they are caught in lies.

The movie was a bit slow to get going as the characters sorted themselves out. I didn't realize at first that the very young-looking girl in glasses was the professor's wife! As the characters and relationships become more defined, the film takes off and becomes more enjoyable.

The main theme, with a childless husband and wife taking each other for granted and annoying each other, before finally realizing how much they care for one another, was also reflected in the last Ozu film I saw, FLAVOR OF GREEN TEA OVER RICE (1952).

FLAVOR OF GREEN TEA OVER RICE was made 15 years later, yet there's a strong thread between the two films. Each movie's final scenes with husband and wife, as they come together late at night, are lovely, and in the case of WHAT DID THE LADY FORGET? quite lighthearted. The lights going out bit by bit at the end of WHAT DID THE LADY FORGET? were a particularly beautiful touch.

Kurishima and Saito are excellent tentatively conveying their feelings for one another, and Kurishima's grin near the end is delightful. Kuwano is good as fiery Setsuko, although at times she's just as self-centered or petulant as the aunt who aggravates her. The conflict with her aunt seems to temper Setsuko's attitudes a bit, and she and the handsome Sano, as Okada, share a nice moment contemplating both lessons learned and the future before she takes the train home.

One of the themes I'm always fascinated by in Ozu's films is the Westernization of Japan. Western furnishings were very prominent in FLAVOR OF GREEN TEA OVER RICE, but I was fascinated to see that perhaps even more strongly in a film of the '30s. There are nods to traditional Japanese design in the doctor's house but most of the home has very Western furniture and decor, including paintings and a grandfather clock. An issue of the New Yorker is seen in a magazine rack, and Setsuko reads about Marlene Dietrich. William Powell comes in for an admiring mention as well!

WHAT DID THE LADY FORGET? was filmed in black and white by Yuhara Atsuta and Hideo Shigehara.

As with all of Ozu's films, this was well worth watching, providing both entertainment and ideas to contemplate. I've yet to see an Ozu film I didn't like!

Tonight's Movie: Late Spring (1949)

LATE SPRING (1949), the seventh film reviewed from my 10 Classics list, is a beautiful and affecting reflection on inevitable life changes.

The movie, titled BANSHUN in Japan, was directed by Yasujiro Ozu, a filmmaker I've come to admire tremendously over the past 18 months. This was the fourth Ozu film I've seen and the first in black and white, as I started out watching some of his late-career color films. Although I missed the shiny pops of color from those later films, this black and white movie was beautiful in its own way.

Noriko, played by Setsuko Hara, is in her late 20s, and her father (Chishu Ryu) and aunt (Haruko Sugimura) feel it's time she marries. Noriko resists the idea, as she wants to stay with her widowed father, but eventually she is convinced to move on with her life and consent to an arranged marriage with someone who is said to be a fine man.

Noriko's father, who encouraged Noriko to marry with hints he is thinking of remarriage, returns home from her wedding to begin his new life living alone.

That's pretty much the entire plot of this 108-minute film, but as with other Ozu films, that bare bones description doesn't come close to doing the film justice. What matters is how the story is told, and it's by turns lyrical, elegant, and moving, particularly the father's extended talk to the reluctant Noriko about choosing to be happy and building a new life with her husband.

The reasons for Noriko's desire to remain with her father are never really made clear, although it's mentioned that she became ill during the war, perhaps as the result of overwork or malnutrition. Now that she is healthy again and living a life of quiet contentment in the postwar world, perhaps she is afraid to rock the boat with scary new life changes, especially having been through difficult times due to the war and, one assumes, the death of her mother.

There's a red herring of a suitor, Hattori (Jun Usami), and we later realize that the reason Noriko enjoys his company so well is not because she's in love with him, but because she knows he's committed elsewhere; Hattori is thus not a threat as far as her life changing. (Even more curiously, it's implied that Hattori is carrying a torch for Noriko, though he never acts on it beyond trying to convince her to attend a concert with him.) Noriko's real suitor and eventual husband is never seen, only discussed by others.

The father's nobility, putting what he feels is best for his child above his own wishes, leads to a deeply moving final scene as he returns to his empty home and slowly peels an apple. For a parent such as myself whose own children are gradually moving out into the world, one can't help but be touched. The film then cuts to waves coming in and out at the shore, underscoring the inevitability of time passing and life changing.

Ozu's style is leisurely but never dull, and there are also nice bits of humor mixed in with the moving moments. Jovial Professor Onodera (Masao Mishima) provides nice comic relief, whether teasing Noriko or exhibiting his difficulty with directions in an amusing scene with her father.

Such small moments may not have much to do with the plot, yet they don't feel superfluous. Watching an Ozu film feels akin to reading a richly detailed novel, as we are there alongside the characters to observe moments big and small.

As with Ozu's other films, another theme is postwar Westernization. Noriko passes a big Coca-Cola sign, and the neighborhood boys are obsessed with baseball. Noriko's suitor is described repeatedly as being as handsome as Gary Cooper, the actor who starred in "the baseball movie." Noriko's friend Aya (Yumeji Kitagawa) lives in a completely Westernized home, in fascinating contrast to Noriko's own traditional Japanese home. The fact that a story of life changes is playing out against the backdrop of a changing Japan adds another interesting layer to the film.

LATE SPRING was filmed by Yuharu Atsuta.

This film is available on DVD or Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection. There are many extras including a commentary track and a booklet of essays.

Previously reviewed Ozu films: GOOD MORNING (1957), EQUINOX FLOWER (1958), and LATE AUTUMN (1960).