Series 28: 3) Kenji Mizoguchi,, SAIKAKU ICIHIDAI ONNA/THE LIFE of OHARU (1952, 133 Minutes)
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February 11, 2014 (Series 28: 3) Kenji Mizoguchi,, SAIKAKU ICIHIDAI ONNA/THE LIFE OF OHARU (1952, 133 minutes) Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi Written by Saikaku Ihara (novel Koshuku Ichidai Onna) Cinematography by Yoshimi Hirano and Yoshimi Kono Kinuyo Tanaka ... Oharu Tsukie Matsuura ... Tomo, Oharu's Mother Ichirô Sugai ... Shinzaemon, Oharu's Father Toshirô Mifune ... Katsunosuke Toshiaki Konoe ... Lord Harutaka Matsudaira KENJI MIZOGUCHI (director) (b. May 16, 1898 in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan—d. August 24, 1956 (age 58) in Kyoto, Japan) directed 94 films, including 1956 Street of Shame, 1955 Taira Clan Saga, 1954 The Woman in the Rumor, 1954 Sansho the Bailiff, 1953 Ugetsu, 1952 The Life of Oharu, 1951 The Lady from Musashino, 1951 Miss Oyu, 1946 Utamaro and His Five Women, 1945 The Sword, 1944 Miyamoto Musashi, 1941 The 47 KINUYO TANAKA ... Oharu (b. November 28, 1910 in Ronin, 1940 A Woman of Osaka, 1939 The Story of the Last Yamaguchi, Japan—d. March 21, 1977 (age 66) in Japan) Chrysanthemums, 1935 The Downfall of Osen, 1929 Nihon appeared in 163 films and television shows, including 1976 bashi, 1928 The Life of Man, 1927 Jihi shincho (Short), 1926 Lullaby of the Earth, 1974 Three Old Ladies, 1965 Red Beard, Children of the Sea, 1925 Ningen, 1924 Kyokubadan no joô, 1964 The Scent of Incense, 1963 Legend of a Duel to the Death, 1924 Jin kyo, 1924 Gendai no jo-o, 1924 Song of the Sad Idiot, 1960 Younger Brother, 1958 Equinox Flower, 1958 Ballad of 1923 The Adventures of Arsène Lupin, 1923 The Dream Path of Narayama, 1957 Stepbrothers, 1955 House of Many Pleasures, Youth, 1923 Kokyo, and 1923 Ai ni yomigaeru hi. 1954 The Woman in the Rumor, 1954 Sansho the Bailiff, 1953 Love Letter, 1953 Ugetsu, 1952 The Life of Oharu, 1950 The SAIKAKU IHARA (writer—novel Koshuku Ichidai Onna) (b. Munekata Sisters, 1950 An Engagement Ring, 1949 Flame of My 1642, Namba, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan—d. September 9, Love, 1947 Marriage, 1946 Utamaro and His Five Women, 1945 1693, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan) write 5 films and Victory Song, 1944 Miyamoto Musashi, 1941 Ornamental television: 2013 “Asaki yumemishi - yaoya oshichi ibun” (TV Hairpin, 1941 Hana, 1940 A Woman of Osaka, 1936 Shindo: Mini-Series) (story, 10 episodes), 1991 The Sensualist (Video) Kohen Ryota no maki, 1935 Burden of Life, 1933 Dragnet Girl, (novel), 1978 Pinku saron: Kôshoku gonin onna (novel), 1961 A 1933 The Dancing Girl of Izu, 1931 The Neighbor's Wife and Lustful Man (novel), and 1952 The Life of Oharu (novel Koshuku Mine, 1930 Desire of Night, 1930 The Army Advances, 1928 Ichidai Onna). Man's Worldly Appearance, 1928 The Villiage Bride, 1926 A Rapid Stream, 1926 People in Town, and 1924 Village Pasture. YOSHIMI HIRANO (cinematographer) was cinematographer on 23 films, among them 1962 Kanashimi wa itsumo haha ni, 1961 TSUKIE MATSUURA ... Tomo, Oharu's Mother appeared in 47 'Nendo no omen' yori: kaachan, 1961 Dare yori-mo kane o films and TV shows, among them 1964 Miyamoto Musashi: The aisu, 1959 The Woman Vampire, 1957 The Depths, 1954 Koina Duel at Ichijoji, 1963 Bushido, 1952 Zoku Shurajô hibun - Hiun no Ginpei, 1952 Yatarô gasa: zenkôhen, 1952 The Life of Oharu, no maki, 1952 The Life of Oharu, 1930 Gakusei Sandai-ki - Meiji 1944 Battle Troop, 1931 Daimyô Nagoya kôshin-kyoku, 1930 jidai, 1929 Kubi no za, 1929 Chikyôdai, 1929 Rônin-gai - Dai- Ko, and 1930 Modern neko sôdô. ni-wa: Gakuya-buro - Kaiketsu-hen, 1928 Fighting Cocks, 1927 Misoguchi—THE LIFE OF OHARU—2 Kurama tengu ibun: Zoku kakubei-jishi, and 1926 Kaijin ôkami: in Tokyo, near the Yushima shrine. His father, Zentaro, was a Zempen. roofing carpenter, and his mother, Masa, the daughter of an unsuccessful trader in Chinese herbal remedies. When Mizoguchi ICHIRÔ SUGAI ... Shinzaemon, Oharu's Father (b. July 25, was seven, they had to move to a poorer downtown district of 1907 in Kyoto, Japan—d. August 11, 1973 (age 66)) appeared in Asakusa because of the failure of a business venture in which his 154 films and television shows, some of which are 1971 Bakuto father tried to sell raincoats to the army during the war with kirikomi-tai, 1970 Shiruku hatto no ô-oyabun, 1969 Heat Wave Russia. In that same year his younger brother, Yoshio, was born, Island, 1969 Yakuza's Law: Yakuza Keibatsushi: Rinchi, 1968 while his sister, Suzu, then fourteen, was given up for adoption to Harbor Light Yokohama, 1968 Duel in the Storm, 1966 The help the family finances, and soon afterwards sold by her foster Pornographers, 1965 Cat Girls Gamblers, 1964 The Body, 1961 parents to a geisha house. She was eventually to find a wealthy A Lustful Man, 1960 Blood Is Dry, 1960 Ryuji the Gun Slinger, patron who married her in 1925. 1955 Taira Clan Saga, 1954 Sansho the Bailiff, 1953 A Geisha, These early experiences were to have a powerful 1952 The Life of Oharu, 1951 Early Summer, 1951 Story of a influence on Misoguchi’s films, like much else in his turbulent Beloved Wife, 1944 This Happy Life, 1942 Mother Never Dies, personal life. At the time of the move to Asakusa he suffered his 1934 Karisome no kuchibeni, 1934 Foghorn, 1932 The Dawn of first attack of the rheumatoid arthritis that was to recur Mongolia, 1931 Jean Valjean, 1930 Ginza Serenade, and 1930 throughout his life, and which left him with an odd gait and a Tôjin Okichi. In addition to his many acting roles, Sugai directed tendency to raise his right shoulder when angry. In June 1907 he 1 film, 1954 Dorodarake no seishun. entered Isihama elementary school and there met Matsutaro Kawaguchi, who became a successful novelist and Misoguchi’s TOSHIRÔ MIFUNE ... Katsunosuke (b. Sanchuan Minlang, April collaborator on many of his best-known films. 1, 1920 in Tsingtao, China (now Qingdao, Shandong, China)—d. When Misoguchi was eleven, after a total of six years December 24, 1997 (age 77) in Mitaka city, Tokyo, Japan) schooling, his father was forced by a lack of money to send him appeared in 182 films and television shows, including 1995 to live with relatives in the northern city of Morioka, where he Fukai kawa, 1994 Picture Bride, 1992 Shadow of the Wolf, 1991 was apprenticed to an uncle who worked as a hospital Journey of Honor, 1991 Strawberry Road, 1989 Death of a Tea pharmacist. He returned home in 1912, but his father, whom he Master, 1987 Sicilian Connection, 1981 The Bloody Bushido hated, refused to send him to school again. The resulting sense of Blade, 1981 Inchon, 1980 “Shogun” (TV Mini-Series), 1980 inferiority about his lack of formal education stayed with him all “Shogun” (TV Movie), 1979 The Adventures of Kosuke his life. Kindaichi, 1979 Winter Kills, 1978 The Shogun's Samurai, 1978 In 1913 Mizoguchi’s sister found him a job with a The Fall of Ako Castle, 1975 Paper Tiger, 1971 Red Sun, 1970 designer of patterns for kimonos. Two years later, when their The Ambush: Incident at Blood Pass, 1970 Bakumatsu, 1969 Red mother died, Suzu installed their father in an old people’s home, Lion, 1967 Japan's Longest Day, 1967 Samurai Rebellion, 1966 and took her two brothers to live with her. Watching an artist Grand Prix, 1966 The Sword of Doom, 1965 Sanshiro Sugata, who lived across the street, Mizoguchi began to be interested in 1965 Red Beard, 1965 Samurai Assassin, 1963 The Lost World painting, and studied Western-style oil and watercolor painting at of Sinbad, 1963 High and Low, 1960 The Bad Sleep Well, 1960 the Aiobashi Institute. At the same time he was absorbing the The Last Gunfight, 1958 The Hidden Fortress, 1957 The Lower city life of Tokyo and going to Japanese variety theatre and Depths, 1957 Throne of Blood, 1955 I Live in Fear, 1955 Western-style shows in Asakusa. He read Zola, Maupassant and Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple, 1954 Smuggling Ship, 1954 Tolstoy, but preferred Japanese novelists: Kafu Negai for his The Surf, 1954 Seven Samurai, 1953 Sunflower Girl, 1952 naturalism, Soseki Natsume for a philosophical view, Koyo Vendetta of a Samurai, 1951 The Idiot, 1950 Rashomon, 1949 Ozaki, for his panoramic and allegorical narratives, and Kyoka Stray Dog, 1948 Drunken Angel, and 1947 Snow Trail. Izumi for the aestheticism of his sentimental Meiji melodramas. TOSHIAKI KONOE ... Lord Harutaka Matsudaira (b. July 3, Mizoguchi went to Kobe in 1918 to take up a job as a 1910 in Iwamizawa, Hokkaido, Japan) appeared in 32 films and designer of advertisements for a newspaper there. He enjoyed the television shows, some of which are 1960 Joôbachi to Daigaku city’s progressive atmosphere and the company of new drinking no Ryû, 1958 The Chase, 1957 “The Secret Monday” (TV Mini- companions, dabbled in theatrical ventures, and wrote poems Series), 1953 Gate of Hell, 1952 The Life of Oharu, 1941 which the newspaper printed; but homesickness drove him back Introspection Tower, 1941 Dawn Chorus, 1941 Notes of an to Tokyo. He moved in with a friend who worked at Nikkatsu’s Itinerant Performer, 1941 The Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Mukojima film studios and through him came to know Osamu Family, 1938 The Masseurs and a Woman, 1937 The Golden Wakayama, one of the progressive directors. At this time Demon, 1937 A Star Athlete, 1934 Daigaku no wakadanna – Nikkatsu was modernizing its methods of production in response Nihonbare, and 1934 Kinkanshoku. to competition from other studios. Mizoguchi was fascinated. He offered himself in 1922 as an actor, but found himself doing various jobs such as transcribing scripts. “I remember my first KENJI MISOGUCHI, from World Film Directors, V.I.