This is a deeply moving film, essentially a set of tableau, small episodes representing the fall and degradation of a naive noblewoman, brought down by her love for a commoner, desperate bad fortune, and the hypocrisy of a feudal society that condemned her for making the choices forced upon her. The camera-work is beautifully fluid, with long flowing takes, so different from what we expect from that other great director of the period, Ozu. It is carefully paced, allowing the force of the story to carry the viewer along to the desperately sad ending. The movie is far more restrained than you would expect for the topic, it avoids any didacticism, but still makes undeniably clear the directors disgust at how a society can force someone into such degradation. A very beautiful movie, essential viewing for anyone interested in the period.
Review of The Life of Oharu
