Soshun (Early Spring)

This is one of the more ambivalent films that I have seen on modern life. Ozu's story of the "salary man" in postwar Tokyo addresses urbanization and gender without ever fully condemning modernity or older traditions such as miai or relations between men and women.

It is also a great film. The ambivalence works to keep the audience rapt in thoughtful interest as we question the demands that a husband makes on his wife and muse at his traditional (albeit chosen) home life and modern work and social life. Ozu also treats us to some breathtaking shots that could only be improved by a full-screen version of the DVD or a screening in a movie theater. Ozu proves that a character-driven urban drama can still feature excellent cinematography; perhaps modern filmmakers could learn from this.

I did not love the musical score and the timing of Sugiyama's transfer seems a bit unlikely, but this is generally on par with the very best films of the 1950s.