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is a 1956 film by Yasujiro Ozu
about a married office worker (Ryō Ikebe
) who has a fling with a typist, a fellow commuter, and the fallout that ensues with his friends and wife (Chikage Awashima
). The film stars Keiko Kishi as the typist.
At 144 minutes, the film is Ozu's longest extant film.
: office worker Shoji Sugiyama (Ryō Ikebe
) wakes up to prepare to commute to work, attended to by his wife, Masako (Chikage Awashima
). The couple is childless but used to have a young son who died years ago of an illness.
During a hiking trip with friends, Shoji spends moments alone on a hitchhiked lorry with a fellow worker, typist Kaneko (Keiko Kishi), nicknamed "Goldfish" for her large eyes. After the trip Kaneko makes advances at Shoji. The two have an affair. Masako suspects something is amiss behind her back but says nothing, even when Shoji spends extra time with Kaneko, his war comrades and a dying friend. The two become progressively estranged.
The friends, too, suspect something is going on between Shoji and Kaneko and finally confront Kaneko during a gathering, advising her not to come between a married couple. Aggrieved, Kaneko goes to visit Shoji late in the night. The affair finally gets disclosed, and Masako and Shoji have a falling-out. Masako is angry enough with Shoji to leave for her mother's home the next morning.
Shoji accepts a job to go to Mitsuishi, at Okayama Prefecture
, an out-of-the-way provincial town. Kaneko is upset that he is leaving but later accepts it. Meanwhile, Shoji begins to regret his affair and tries to bring his wife home, but Masako only goes back after he has left for Mitsuishi. The couple meet at Mitsuishi, where they promise to forget everything before and strive for marital happiness.
Yasujiro Ozu
was a prominent Japanese film director and script writer. He is known for his distinctive technical style, developed during the silent era. Marriage and family, especially the relationships between the generations, are among the most persistent themes in his body of work...
about a married office worker (Ryō Ikebe
Ryō Ikebe
was a Japanese actor. He graduated from Rikkyō University and originally wanted to be a screenwriter, but ended up debuting as an actor at Tōhō in 1941. He did not achieve popularity until starring in a series of youth films in the late 1940s...
) who has a fling with a typist, a fellow commuter, and the fallout that ensues with his friends and wife (Chikage Awashima
Chikage Awashima
born Keiko Nakagawa in Tokyo, 24 February 1924) is a Japanese actress who has been in films since the 1950s.- Filmography :* Tenya wanya * Early Summer * Nami * An Inlet of Muddy Water...
). The film stars Keiko Kishi as the typist.
At 144 minutes, the film is Ozu's longest extant film.
Plot
The film starts on a typical working day in metropolitan TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
: office worker Shoji Sugiyama (Ryō Ikebe
Ryō Ikebe
was a Japanese actor. He graduated from Rikkyō University and originally wanted to be a screenwriter, but ended up debuting as an actor at Tōhō in 1941. He did not achieve popularity until starring in a series of youth films in the late 1940s...
) wakes up to prepare to commute to work, attended to by his wife, Masako (Chikage Awashima
Chikage Awashima
born Keiko Nakagawa in Tokyo, 24 February 1924) is a Japanese actress who has been in films since the 1950s.- Filmography :* Tenya wanya * Early Summer * Nami * An Inlet of Muddy Water...
). The couple is childless but used to have a young son who died years ago of an illness.
During a hiking trip with friends, Shoji spends moments alone on a hitchhiked lorry with a fellow worker, typist Kaneko (Keiko Kishi), nicknamed "Goldfish" for her large eyes. After the trip Kaneko makes advances at Shoji. The two have an affair. Masako suspects something is amiss behind her back but says nothing, even when Shoji spends extra time with Kaneko, his war comrades and a dying friend. The two become progressively estranged.
The friends, too, suspect something is going on between Shoji and Kaneko and finally confront Kaneko during a gathering, advising her not to come between a married couple. Aggrieved, Kaneko goes to visit Shoji late in the night. The affair finally gets disclosed, and Masako and Shoji have a falling-out. Masako is angry enough with Shoji to leave for her mother's home the next morning.
Shoji accepts a job to go to Mitsuishi, at Okayama Prefecture
Okayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...
, an out-of-the-way provincial town. Kaneko is upset that he is leaving but later accepts it. Meanwhile, Shoji begins to regret his affair and tries to bring his wife home, but Masako only goes back after he has left for Mitsuishi. The couple meet at Mitsuishi, where they promise to forget everything before and strive for marital happiness.