The Wife of Seisaku (1965)

This film is also showing at our sister cinema, Ritz Cinemas

Australian Premiere - 4K Restoration

‘[The works of Yasuzō Masumura are] undoubtedly among the most-envelope-pushing studio films of the late 1950s and 60s – no less personal or ingenious than those of Alfred Hitchcock, Sam Fuller or Nicholas Ray.’ – Joseph Fahim, British Film Institute

After the death of her wealthy older husband, Okane (Ayako Wakao) returns to the village where she grew up. Cruelly ostracised by the intolerant community there, Okane nevertheless catches the eye of model citizen and soldier Seisaku (Takahiro Tamura), and they marry – but when a newly declared war threatens to take the man she loves away from her forever, she is driven to extremes to save his life.

Set against the backdrop of the Russo-Japanese War and expressing a strong critique of militarism, Yasuzō Masumura’s piercing melodrama is a major work from a long-overlooked director. Wakao, who collaborated with Masumura on twenty films, is a particularly commanding presence, bringing a fierce intensity to the tightly controlled narrative.

Introduced by Russell Edwards at Ritz Cinemas and Grant Watson at Lido Cinemas.

Co-presented by The Japan Foundation, Sydney.

Rating

Unclassified 18+

Duration

93 min

Country

Japan

Language

Japanese (English subtitles)

Cast

Ayako Wakao, Takahiro Tamura, Nobuo Chiba, Yūzō Hayakawa, Mikio Narita, Yuka Konno, Taiji Tonoyama

Director

Yasuzō Masumura