Uwasa no onna

Yoshiko Kuga was engaged, but when her fiance found out what her mother was, he broke it off. Miss Kuga tried to kill herself. Now her mother, Kinuyo Tanaka has fetched her home to her brothel in Kyoto. Miss Kuga hates the work, but she behaves compassionately towards the girls who work there. It's a well-run establishment, and the girls are well taken care of. There's even a doctor on call, Tomoemon Otani. He's Miss Tanaka's lover. She is preparing to sell the place, finance a clinic for Otani, and marry him. However, Miss Kuga doesn't know this, and she and Otani plot to run off to Tokyo together.

It's a typically sympathetic look at the profession by Kenji Mizoguchi, and with the fearless Miss Tanaka playing an aging mistress, it's very well acted. It's not one of Mizoguchi's major pieces, but it's a fine minor effort.

How does a middle-aged woman hold the attention of a handsome young man when her attractive and intelligent daughter captures his attention ? Can she fight back ? Is bribery an effective tactic ? An age-old story where three top-rank actors tend to overact, but are kept in check by master director Mizoguchi. And the intensity of the main story is nicely balanced by the little day-to-day dramas of running a bawdy house. The side-story of the geisha who collapses and becomes very ill, and the appearance of her younger sister who begs to take her place because of family poverty, is touching and well-handled.

I've seen several movies made around this time on theme of geisha houses lately, and although this is one of lesser among them, I would nevertheless recommend this movie. Tanaka Kinuyo and Kuga Yoshiko are two of Japan's great actresses of the 50s, and to see them slug it out over a weak and vain young man is something to behold.

(1954) The Woman in Rumor (The Crucified Woman)/ Uwasa no onna (In Japanese with English subtitles) DRAMA

It has owner of a geisha brothel, Miss Osaki (Chieko Naniwa) or "Mistress" calling up a doctor, Dr. Kenji Matoba (Tomoemon Otani) to do a check up on her college graduated daughter, Yukiko Mabuchi (Yoshiko Kuga) as she took a bunch of sleeping pills giving her mom the indication she was trying to commit suicide as a result of a break up of a boyfriend. And we find out the reason Yukiko's boyfriend broke up with her because of her mother's profession of owning a brothel and is embarrassed by it.

The woman who is talked about and rumored or crucified in the titles of this film, is widowed but independently and well manages a Geisha house. She is no longer young but still charming and has a young doctor as a lover who regularly visits the house. Suddenly the woman's daughter, about twenty years old, returns from Tokyo after years, after having attempted suicide. From here begins a story that alternates drama, scenes of life, intimate psychology, art, crazy love.

Film directed by Mizoguchi in 1954 where the director, as in other films, is very good at alternating, making coexist and merging multiple atmospheres and genres. Not too slow narration, attention to psychology, feelings. There are very deep and visually strong scenes that remain, especially those of classical Japanese theater.

I highly recommend this film for watching a drama told in a splendid, artistic and profound way. After watching about ten films I can say that Kenji Mizoguchi surprises each time in a different and positive way.

Lesser known Kenji Mizuguchi melodrama nonetheless reveals his mastery for realistic, highly dramatic and heart-felt stories of female fates; superb cast, beautiful cinematography and excellent settings all around.