In the same vein as Hollywood films which attempt to educate the public on social issue (e.g. *Philadelphia* (gays with AIDS), *The Accused* (rape); *Days of Wine and Roses* (alcoholism), etc.) In this case the subject is the life of a bar hostess in Japan. Like Vera Drake, Nights of Cabiria and Story of Women, this film has a strong lead performance. (PSI: 87)

Now let me get this straight. In Japan, men go to bars and pay cute women just to listen to them?! Geez, how pathetic. Why don't they just spring for a full-blown courtesan? This movie is handsomely photographed in b&w and widescreen, but it's still just a rather mundane soap opera, and often a dull one

My first experience with Naruse. His nuanced characters have been described as exhibiting "enlightened stoicism", which couldn't be more appropriate for the conclusion of the film and the Mama character. Cinematography is good and purposefully doesn't stand out, which works. I appreciated most, perhaps, the clear, yet modern sense of right and wrong Naruse is playing with here. I need to see more Naruse.

I can't quite put my love for it in to words, but I will say that it is something about the mood of it. That Naruse takes a tale, tells it with a lightness of touch, a few moments of gleeful humour and cool jazzy cocktail bar music, and yet at the same time is able to create out of it a tragedy that is so hard-hitting and heartbreaking (and in my mind distinctly feminist in a smart, grounded and concerned manner that avoids all didacticism and is instead quite revealing). It really is amazing.

In my first sampling of Naruse, everything acclaimed of Mizoguchi is in true form. I need more.

As my first Naruse film this was a great place to begin: wonderfully acted, well scripted, well directed and emotionally deep (with a potential feminist message behind it). Additional praise has to go to the cinematographer and the lighting and production design crews for making the settings that the story takes place in stunning to look at, adding just as much to the quality to the film.

Combines a muted drama similar to Ozu with an urban "cool" and noir narration from New Wave Cinema. Very touching, understated film. Naruse seems to understand his characters better than most directors, making their motivations and emotions immediately clear even when his direction and storytelling are often quiet and subtle. A film that I wouldn't want to watch often, but succeeds brilliantly at what it aims to be.

This is the 1000th film I ranked, because it's special.

# 739

A very enjoyable light hearted drama about a hostess who has to decide what direction to choose in life. The plot is a bit meandering but the performances are strong and the way the film manages to depict the seedy world of brothels is quite a feat.

A very good movie: excellent acting, constructed well, intriguing and nuanced characters, a refreshing sense of honesty. But I have to say, although I like his work, it hasn't grabbed me like Kurosawa or Mizoguchi, or possibly even Ozu. I've enjoyed Naruse's films a lot, but have no compulsion to revisit them... even though part of me recognizes that there's more to be gained from them.