Tokyo no onna (1933)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Yasujiro Ozu

Writers:

Tadao Ikeda (writer)
Kôgo Noda (writer)

Release Date:

December 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Ryoichi and Chikako are brother and sister. They live together. Chikako works during the day in a office...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Yoshiko Okada	...	Chikako
Ureo Egawa	...	Ryoichi
Kinuyo Tanaka	...	Harue
Shinyo Nara	...	Kinoshita
Chishu Ryu	...	Reporter

Also Known As:

Woman of Tokyo

Runtime:

Japan:47 min

Country:

Japan

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Shochiku Kinema Kenkyû-jo

Movie Connections:

Features If I Had a Million (1932)

One of Ozu's first strong tragic pieces

Ozu's "Tokyo no Onna" (Women of Tokyo) is a short film that delivers alot of tragic import for its length, timing and execution. It is a simple tale, concerning the lives of a Japanese college student and his sister. Things go awry when he finds out that his sister is actually a "hostess"/prostitute at a local bar, and that she is actually financing his college education by means of that career. There are a series of fine indoor shots, perfectly lighted and composed in a dark, (pre-film noir) mood. There is one great outdoor shot I remember, and that is when the sister looks outside, seeing the steam coming from a nearby chimney, and hanging clothes/socks out to dry. The scene where the student/main character walks in the dismal street is also nicely done. Overall, the film is a great example of a strong short film narrative, and has a slightly (unexpected) tragic twist at the end.