Naruse's final silent is a step backwards, but we'll cut him a little slack since he didn't really want to do this script. A rather simple and broad commentary on class, not a whole lot of nuance here. Sugiko is really the only character with much depth to her, and even she doesn't run that deep. But we do see further enhancement of a visual style, with some interesting transitions and a number of cutaways to life buzzing around the Ginza, perhaps suggesting alternate paths for Sugiko.

"The mélo becomes mythic thanks to Naruse's expert sense of montage." - Keith Uhlich