Ugetsu Monogotari
In war-torn 16th-century Japan, two brothers, Genjuro and Tobei, prodded by their ambition, leave their wives and their village behind to pursue respective dreams of wealth and martial glory. Initial good fortune only increases their yen for adventure, and on their next venture out, they encounter a beguiling noblewoman, Lady Wakasa, who puts further temptations before them—though she may not be of this earth. Justly celebrated as containing some of director Kenji Mizoguchi’s most otherworldly and unforgettable imagery, Ugetsu is considered by many critics as one of the greatest of all films.
Daiei. Producer: Masaichi Nagata. Director: Kenji Mizoguchi. Screenwriter: Matsutaro Kawaguchi, Giken Yoda. Based on stories by Akinari Ueda. Cinematographer: Kazuo Miyagawa. Editor: Mitsuzô Miyata. Cast: Masayuki Mori, Kinuyo Tanaka, Machiko Kyo, Ichisaburo Sawamura, Sakae Ozawa. 35mm, b/w, in Japanese with English subtitles, 96 min.
