Ozu's pessimism is deeply reactionary, and the idiosyncrasy of his methods is more interesting for its exoticism than anything else; but anyone who finds the socio-psychological problems of post-war Japan engaging will find the movie both fascinating and rather moving, simply as evidence.
Early Spring(早春)
✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ Read critic reviews
Japan · 1956
2h 25m
Director Yasujirō Ozu
Starring Chikage Awashima, Takako Fujino, Ryô Ikebe, Daisuke Katô
Genre Drama
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A young salary man and his wife struggle within the confines of their passionless relationship while he has an extramarital affair. His mistress threatens their discretion when she comes to his home one night and meets his wife.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
Chicago Tribune by Michael Wilmington
An unusual subject for Ozu, white-collar adultery, handled with his customary deep observation. [28 Jan 2005, p.C2]
The New Yorker by Richard Brody
Ozu’s despairing view of postwar Japan looks as harshly at blind modernization as it does at decadent tradition.
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