La storia dell'ultimo crisantemo

Zangiku Monogatari / The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum (1939) : Brief Review -

A Classic heartbreaker of Artist's Life. Undoubtedly, Kenji Mizogushi's Greatest Pre-War film. Mizogushi is one of the most respected director of his time, not only in Japanese cinema but also all over the globe. Many people know him for films like Ugetsu (1953), Sansho The Bailiff (1954), The Crucified Lovers (1956) and many others but it is always important to see the early great works of any acclaimed director because that's where he starts exploring new ideas and techniques with unshaken dedication. I am glad to have seen his early work and in my opinion, The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum is far better than those three highly appreciated films. The adopted son of a legendary actor, and an aspiring star himself, turns to his infant brother's wet nurse for support and affection - only for her to give up everything for her beloved's glory. The film is a true heartbreaker in every sense when it comes to the climax and the theatrical backdrop also provides it a metaphorical touch. I have seen many other classics which has been inspired from this film but the original always remains special and best. Shotaro Hanayagi and Kakuko Mori create a heart-touching chemistry and theirs perfomances make it even more lovable. The side roles are very important and powerful in the film and every actor gives his best, even in small roles. Hats off to Kenji Mizoguchi for creating such an emotional film despite using new methods of filmmaking such as long shots, one take frames and refusals to give close-up shots. It's just fabulous in every department that it's very difficult to find a mistake but as a cine lover i love these moments when you don't have any complaints for the film. Overall, a Cult Classic Japanese Flick that shouldn't be missed for anything.

RATING - 8.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Along with "Sisters of the Gion"(1936) and "Osaka Elegy"(1936), "Zangiku monogatari" is a strong candidate for Kenji Mizoguchi's finest pre-war film. It is one of the greatest and most beautiful films I have ever seen - a profoundly sublime, heartbreaking love story between a Kabuki actor(Shotaro Hanayagi) and working class servant (Kakuko Mori) who makes sacrifices to herself to ensure his theatrical success. The film, filled with dazzling long takes and rich Sternbergian compositions, centers on Mizoguchi's characteristic theme: the shallowness of men and the generosity of women. Rarely has a Mizoguchi film seem at once so sublime and devastating in its impact. The final sequence alone is among the finest in all of cinema.

My favorite Mizoguchi remains "The Life of Oharu"(1952); "Zangiku monogatari" is not very far behind.

No one could hold a static shot longer than Japanese director Kenji Mizoguchi-and be highly praised for it. In what is regarded as his pre-World War Two masterpiece, Mizoguchi's October 1939 "The Last of the Chrysanthemums," the 140-minute movie contains half the shots of what a normal Hollywood film has, giving credence to his moniker, the "one scene-one long shot" director. Mizoguchi avoided close-ups, preferring his camera to be like a fly on the wall, observing at a distance the drama unfolding in front. He spiced this with an occasional dolly move from one room to another.

Film reviewer James Berardinelli observed, "Opting for long, unbroken takes from mid-range (there are no close-up), the director relied on dollies and cranes to all the camera to move seamlessly from one location to another. Although this approach creates a distance between the viewer and the characters and makes us more like voters than participants, it does nothing to diminish the story's emotional impact."

During one crucial sequence where Kikunosuke Onoe, aka Kiku (Shotaro Hanayagi in his movie debut), the adopted son of popular kabuki actor Kikugoro Onoue (Gonjuro Kawarazaki), leaves his family, Mizoguchi sustains a single nine-minute shot moving from one room to the other to capture the anger of his father. At the same time he shows Kiku's mother emoting how sad she is on her son's departure. The sequence, notes film critic John Pym, is a great example of Mizoguchi's use of a sparse interior "offset by shots of notably uncluttered spaces," featuring his static shots "crammed with human detail."

Mizoguchi's film, based on a short story by Shofu Muramatsu, opens with Kiku stinking up the joint acting in onnagata dramas, where he plays female roles just like his father. Everyone is afraid to tell Kiku his acting is bad, except for Otoku (Kakuko Mori), a nurse in his father's household. She's fired from her job for being too close to Kiku, who wants to marry her. After Kiku leaves his parents, he sticks to acting, spending many years with Otoku, who becomes his common law wife. Because his level of acting pays so little, he experiences dire poverty for the sake of honing his craft. Finally, his performances are much improved, but he needs help from his father to get the opportunities to prove he's a much greater talent than he was previously. The elder Onoue agrees, with one stipulation: he breaks from Otoku. This sets up one of the saddest endings in Japanese cinema, according to several critics.

Mizoguchi's films emphasize women's plight in Japanese society, both historically and in contemporary times. "The Last of the Chrysanthemums" harkens back to the late 1800's in Tokyo and Osaka. "With more said by showing less, operatic heartbreak and sentimentality and anger are pictured in formal precision, not a moment or scene or actor out of place," writes film critic Donald Levit.

"The Last of the Chrysanthemums" was ranked by BBC critics as the 88th best non-English film in the history of cinema, while the British Film Institute selected it as one of the top ten best films ever made. Mizoguchi, who is largely known for his later works such as 1953's "Ugetsu" and 1954 "Sansho the Baliff," has this 1939 motion picture included in '1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.'

The cinema of Kenji Mizoguchi certainly has its share of uninhibited feminism, but it also has its adequate share of realism. He has portrayed Japanese women, their roles and plight in traditional and orthodox Japanese society in variously diverse ways. But he never shied away from making the viewer confront the tough facts and compromise the reality of female oppression, just for the sake of happy endings. His female characters do suffer. The character of Otoku in 'The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum' is an angelic woman who pretty much sacrifices everything for her lover and in the end gets nothing in return. This constant suffering of Otoku has actually made a number reviewers criticise the film and question its agenda. But I disagree with the detractors of the film because for me, the suffering of Otoku in spite of being selfless to a fault represents Mizoguchi's criticism of society as a whole, criticism of a society which oppresses women and enslaves them. A woman can be angelic and downright subservient like Otoku, or she can be abrasive and self-serving like Ayako in 'Osaka Elegy', the patriarchal Japanese society in the end will crush her.

The camera is incredibly fluid and the movement are at times very symmetrical with a pattern to them. This symmetry of camera movement within the same scene or separate scenes reminded me of the films and camera movements of Max Ophüls. Although the blu ray print isn't that great in comparison to restored prints of other films of the same era, one can't help but notice the incredible attention to detail when it comes to the sets and how Mizoguchi uses them with his camera. There is a very noticeable reluctance to use close-up shots, which is interesting. But for the most remarkable aspect of the film in terms of visual technique is the reliance on numerous extended unbroken, long takes which are just incredibly executed and choreographed. Mizoguchi's use of space within a particular frame is genuinely incredible.

The romance between Kikunosuke and Otoku is given a layered and complex treatment by Mizoguchi. Their relationship persists for numerous years and we see the gradual changes in their relationship dynamics. Mizoguchi ornaments the film with beautiful singular moments of humanism and emotions which is scattered throughout the film. Moments like Otoku folding Kikunosuke's jacket without being asked to, Kikunosuke's brother not recognising him, Otoku sitting alone in her room in the dark,etc. are moments that will touch the heart of every sensitive viewer.

I don't think 'The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum' is a perfect film. There are aspects to the film that are a bit too simplistic and a few scenes are stretched out a bit too long for my liking. But having said that, I still consider it to be a special film. One can't help but admire the technical brilliance on show. Mizoguchi's direction is sensitive, subtle and yet complicated in the way he composes his shots and uses his sets. The film has a feminist agenda with its heart in the right place made by one of the masters of world cinema which makes it an easy recommendation.

(1939) The Story OF The Last Chrysanthemums (In Japanese with English subtitles) DRAMA

To describe this film, one have to expect something from Yasujirô Ozu's ballpark, since it centers on a young couple's forbidden relationship. And it's a different kind of movie that's not like director, Kenji Mizoguch's "Ugetsu monogatari" or "Sansho The Baliff". But, before I go on, I just want to say that movies about very young innocent relationships starting out are usually met by three obstacles whether it's about real life, like Lady Diana or otherwise. And if you can't adapt then don't watch it since you'll probably never get into it. The obstacles I've been noticing that's most apparent are usually tradition, custom and honor. For instance, in "Sabrina"-it's custom, and on some royal heir movie like "The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg"- it's tradition. Adapted from the novel written by Shôfû Muramatsu centers on a young actor by the name of Kikunosuke Onoue (Shôtarô Hanayagi) falling for the family maid, Otoku (Kakuko Mori) since she was the only one honest with him about his bad acting, in comparison to the people who're around him who are always sucking up to him up, just because he's connected to the family name. And after a close encounter, mom then fires her after a long time of faithful service solely for that reason since people are already talking, with Kikunosuke's dad at the same time forbidding him to ever see Otoku ever again. He, of course rebels, and it was at this point is when his dad kicks him out of the family household while young Kikunosuke strives to become a better actor with Otoku at his side. Anybody who understands theatre in general will probably be much more involved than the viewers sticking to movies, since it also involves a traveling troupe. In comparison to Ozu movies, this movie takes risks by using the centered protagonist by using him to take a step further by rebelling the custom rather than accepting it which doesn't happen in Japanese movies often. 3.