Late Chrysanthemums
Encyclopedia
is a 1954 film directed by Mikio Naruse
. It follows four retired geisha and their struggles to make ends meet in post World War II
Japan. The film is based on three short stories by female author Fumiko Hayashi
, published in 1948. The story has been translated into English by Lane Dunlop and is available in the anthology "A Late Chrysanthemum: Twenty-One Stories from the Japanese".
, Seki, who was sent to jail after trying to commit suicide with her many years ago. He returns to try to borrow money from her, but is quickly turned away. In the end, he is sent back to jail for a money-related crime. Kin then becomes excited when she hears that Tabe, her former patron and lover, is returning. However, she becomes furious after realizing that he does not love her, but rather just wants to borrow her money as well. She kicks him out and burns his photograph to erase his memory. In the end, she leaves the city on a search for property to buy.
Tamae and Tomi, both former geisha, live together. Tamae is plagued by migraines, and as a result, she is unable to work as frequently as she would like as a housekeeper in a hotel. She is troubled by her son Kiyoshi's relationship with an older mistress
. Yet, his new job allows her to repay her debts to Kin. Still, Tamae is saddened when her son decides to move away to Hokkaido
. Tomi is a gambler who has not taken good care of herself after her days as a geisha. She laments her daughter Sachiko's upcoming marriage to an older man and tries to persuade her against it. Tomi is also indebted to Kin and is unable to repay this money as a result of her addiction to gambling. The last of the four geisha is Nobu. She and her husband own a restaurant, which is frequented by the other women.
Mikio Naruse
was a Japanese filmmaker, screenwriter, and producer who directed some 89 films spanning the period 1930 to 1967.Naruse is known for imbuing his films with a bleak and pessimistic outlook...
. It follows four retired geisha and their struggles to make ends meet in post World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Japan. The film is based on three short stories by female author Fumiko Hayashi
Fumiko Hayashi (author)
was a Japanese novelist and poet.When Hayashi was seven, her mother ran away with a manager of her common-law husband's store, and afterwards the three worked in Kyūshū as itinerant merchants...
, published in 1948. The story has been translated into English by Lane Dunlop and is available in the anthology "A Late Chrysanthemum: Twenty-One Stories from the Japanese".
Plot
Kin, the first of the geisha, is consumed by the idea of wealth. As a moneylender, she is an embittered businesswoman who is insistent upon being repaid by her former geisha sisters, Tamae and Tomi. She is the love interest of a former soldier in ManchuriaManchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
, Seki, who was sent to jail after trying to commit suicide with her many years ago. He returns to try to borrow money from her, but is quickly turned away. In the end, he is sent back to jail for a money-related crime. Kin then becomes excited when she hears that Tabe, her former patron and lover, is returning. However, she becomes furious after realizing that he does not love her, but rather just wants to borrow her money as well. She kicks him out and burns his photograph to erase his memory. In the end, she leaves the city on a search for property to buy.
Tamae and Tomi, both former geisha, live together. Tamae is plagued by migraines, and as a result, she is unable to work as frequently as she would like as a housekeeper in a hotel. She is troubled by her son Kiyoshi's relationship with an older mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
. Yet, his new job allows her to repay her debts to Kin. Still, Tamae is saddened when her son decides to move away to Hokkaido
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
. Tomi is a gambler who has not taken good care of herself after her days as a geisha. She laments her daughter Sachiko's upcoming marriage to an older man and tries to persuade her against it. Tomi is also indebted to Kin and is unable to repay this money as a result of her addiction to gambling. The last of the four geisha is Nobu. She and her husband own a restaurant, which is frequented by the other women.
Cast
- Haruko SugimuraHaruko Sugimurawas a Japanese stage and film actress, best known for her appearances in the movies of Yasujiro Ozu and Mikio Naruse from the late 1940s to the early 1960s...
as Kin - Chikako Hosokawa as Tamae
- Yuuko MochizukiYuuko Mochizukiwas a Japanese actress. She won the award for best actress at the 8th Blue Ribbon Awards for The Rice People and Unagitori.-Filmography:*Carmen Comes Home *Gendai-jin *Late Chrysanthemums *The Rice People...
as Tomi - Sadako Sawamura as Nobu
- Ken UeharaKen Ueharawas a Japanese film actor. He appeared in over 200 films between 1935 and 1990. He starred in Entotsu no mieru basho, which was entered into the 3rd Berlin International Film Festival.His son is the singer and actor Yūzō Kayama.-Selected filmography:...
as Tabe - Hiroshi KoizumiHiroshi Koizumiis a Japanese actor. He was born in Japan. In a 1999 interview with Steve Ryfle, Koizumi laments that while he stated he has easy parts to play, he felt he could have done more in his performances...
as Kiyoshi - Ineko ArimaIneko ArimaIneko Arima was a Japanese film actress born in 1932 in Osaka. She is best known for her work with director Yasujiro Ozu-Selected filmography:* Black River * Tokyo Twilight...
as Sachiko - Bontaro Miake as Seki
- Sonosuke Sawamura as Sentaro
- Daisuke KatōDaisuke Katôwas a Japanese actor who appeared in over 150 films, including Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai , Rashomon, Yojimbo , and Ikiru, and Hiroshi Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy and Chushingura.-Filmography:* Bloody Spear at Mount Fuji...
as Itaya
External links
- Late Chrysanthemums at Japan Movie Database