Direction: Kenji Mizoguchi

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Kinuyo Tanaka · Yoshiaki Hanayaki · Kyôko Kagawa · Eitarô Shindô

Synopsis Sansho the Bailiff (1954) delves into a grim period of Japanese history, drawing from a 12th-century folk tale to illustrate the cruelty and inhumanity of a bygone era. The narrative begins with a provincial governor who advocates for the rights...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Machiko Kyô · Mitsuko Mito · Kinuyo Tanaka · Masayuki Mori

Synopsis Tales of Ugetsu (1953) unfolds during the tumultuous civil wars of 16th century Japan, where two peasants, driven by ambition, seek to elevate their status. The potter Genjuro aims to amass wealth by peddling his ceramics in the nearby city,...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Kazuo Hasegawa · Kyôko Kagawa · Yôko Minamida · Eitarô Shindô

Synopsis The Crucified Lovers (1954) unfolds in the heart of 17th century Kyoto, where Osan finds herself in an unhappy marriage to Ishun, a prosperous yet miserly scroll-maker. When Osan is wrongfully accused of infidelity with Ishun’s most trusted servant, Mohei,...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Kinuyo Tanaka · Tsukie Matsuura · Ichiro Sugai · Toshirô Mifune

Synopsis The Life of Oharu (1952) chronicles the journey of Oharu, a woman in her fifties navigating the rigid societal norms of 17th-century feudal Japan. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she becomes the paramour of a man, leading to...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Shotaro Hanayagi · Kakuko Mori · Kôkichi Takada · Yôko Umemura

Synopsis The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums (1939) is set in Tokyo during 1885, where Kikunosuke, the son of the renowned actor Kikugoro, is celebrated for his stage performances. However, his acclaim is largely attributed to his father's fame rather than...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Machiko Kyô · Aiko Mimasu · Ayako Wakao · Michiyo Kogure

Synopsis Street of Shame (1956) follows the lives of five women who work in the Dreamland brothel, located in Tokyo's Yoshiwara district. As the Japanese government debates a potential prohibition on prostitution, the film delves into the personal stories and aspirations...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Michiyo Kogure · Ayako Wakao · Seizaburô Kawazu · Saburo Date

Synopsis A Geisha (Gion bayashi) (1953) unfolds in the post-war Gion district of Kyoto, where the experienced geisha Miyoharu takes on the role of mentor to Eiko, a 16-year-old girl whose mother, a former geisha, has recently passed away. After a...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Kinuyo Tanaka · Nobuko Otowa · Yuji Hori · Kiyoko Hirai

Synopsis Miss Oyu (Oyû-sama) (1951) follows the story of Shinnosuke, who is presented with Shizu as a potential spouse. However, his heart is captivated by Shizu's widowed sister, Oyu. Traditional customs dictate that Oyu cannot remarry, as she must care for...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Machiko Kyô · Masayuki Mori · Sô Yamamura · Eitarô Shindô

Synopsis Princess Yang Kwei-fei (1955) is set in eighth-century China, where the Emperor is deeply saddened by the loss of his wife. The Yang family, seeking to strengthen their influence at court, identifies a distant relative working in their kitchen and...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Michiyo Kogure · Yoshiko Kuga · Ken Uehara · Yuriko Hamada

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Kinuyo Tanaka · Tomoemon Otani · Yoshiko Kuga · Eitarô Shindô

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Kinuyo Tanaka · Sanae Takasugi · Tomie Tsunoda · Mitsuo Nagata

Synopsis Women of the Night (1948) follows the story of Fusako Owada, a young woman navigating the complexities of life in post-war Japan. She is entangled in a tumultuous relationship as the companion of a notorious drug trafficker. Fusako's already fragile...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Isuzu Yamada · Yôko Umemura · Benkei Shiganoya · Eitarô Shindô

Synopsis Sisters of the Gion (1936) follows the story of Umekichi, a geisha residing in Kyoto's Gion district, who finds herself in a complex situation when her lover, Furusawa, seeks refuge with her after facing financial ruin and leaving his wife....

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Narutoshi Hayashi · Raizô Ichikawa · Tatsuya Ishiguro · Akitake Kôno

Synopsis The Taira Clan Saga (1955) unfolds in the vibrant and tumultuous 12th Century Japan, where a complex tapestry of social and political intrigue sets the stage for an epic narrative of power dynamics, familial conflicts, and human vulnerability. The story...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Yoshizaburo Arashi · Utaemon Ichikawa · Chojuro Kawarasaki · Tokusaburo Arashi

Synopsis The Loyal 47 Ronin (1941) follows the tale of Lord Asano, who stands firm against a bribery scheme orchestrated by a high-ranking member of the Shogun's court. Despite his integrity, the corrupt system prevails, leading to his forced suicide through...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Takako Irie · Tokihiko Okada · Nobuo Kosaka · Bontarô Miake

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Kinuyo Tanaka · Michiko Kuwano · Mitsuko Miura · Shin Tokudaiji

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Isuzu Yamada · Seiichi Takegawa · Chiyoko Okura · Shinpachiro Asaka

Synopsis Osaka Elegy (1936) follows the story of Ayako, a young woman who enters into a relationship with her superior, Mr. Asai, to settle her father's debt and keep him out of jail for embezzlement. Ayako also supports her brother Hiroshi's...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Kinuyo Tanaka · Yukiko Todoroki · Masayuki Mori · Akihiko Katayama

Synopsis The Lady from Musashino (1951) follows Michiko, a middle-aged woman of samurai lineage, as she escapes Tokyo for her ancestral home in Musashino during the closing days of World War II, accompanied by her husband Akiyama, a university professor from...

Direction Kenji Mizoguchi

Cast Isuzu Yamada · Daijirô Natsukawa · Mitsusaburô Ramon · Genichi Fuji

Synopsis The Downfall of Osen (1935) follows Sokichi Hata as he ventures to Tokyo with aspirations of enrolling in medical school, only to find himself financially strapped. He crosses paths with Osen, a servant girl working for the deceitful antiques dealer,...