- Born
- Died
- Nickname
- Goteken
- Height1.65 m
- Coming from a lower class family Mizoguchi entered the production company Nikkatsu as an actor specialized in female roles. Later he became an assistant director and made his first film in 1922. Although he filmed almost 90 movies in the silent era, only his last 12 productions are really known outside of Japan because they were especially produced for Venice (e.g La vie d'O'Haru femme galante (1952) or L'Intendant Sansho (1954). He only filmed two productions in color: L'impératrice Yang Kwei-Fei (1955) and Le héros sacrilège (1955).- IMDb mini biography by: Volker Boehm
- He is said to be the first major feminist film-maker.
- His films frequently reveal women's positions in Japanese society.
- Long takes, often held for the duration of the scene.
- Frequently cast Kinuyo Tanaka.
- Cited Marcel L'Herbier, Josef von Sternberg, William Wyler and John Ford as his influences.
- He is one of the rare directors who has helmed over 100 films.
- Mizoguchi Kenji was inspired by nihonga (traditional Japanese painting) and woodblock prints.
- Biography in: John Wakeman, editor. "World Film Directors, Volume One, 1890-1945". Pages 787-803. New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1987.
- I have not yet made a film that pleases me.
- It was only when I passed 40, that I understood the human truths I want to express in my films
- When I was working for Nikkatsu, the company already had Murata Minoru making films featuring heroes, so for balance they made me do films featuring heroines. Also, I am very quarrelsome and so when I work there is always the possibility of a fight, but I can't very well slug an actress.
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