as usual, Setsuko Hara lights up the screen in this drama, plays Takako, a student who lost her father. While at the graveside, she meets Ryukichi, played by Shin Saburi, who is a former student of Takako's father offers to have her live with him and his kids. Ryukichi's wife is ill and lives in a sanitarium. Takako becomes part of the family, caring for the kids and helping Ryukichi. The film's plot moves toward whether Takako and Ryukichi begin to have affection for each other, which of course complicates everything. While the film is a standard drama, Setsuko Hara is wonderful in it, displaying sadness, glee and other emotions extremely well. She at times looks beautiful in the film also, but it is the depths of her emotions that carry the film. This is not one of the best films she has been in (there are so many classics she was part of)but she was an extraordinary actress, always standing out in the films she has been in. She has been called the Katherine Hepburn of Japanese actresses, and that is a fairly accurate analogy, both of them were adept in different genres. Worth a look, but first check out her other amazing films first to get an immediate appreciation of her rare talent.
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