Arsaib

9Jul11

Largely told in flashbacks, this sprawling, beautifully realized drama sees both Naruse and Takamine once again at the height of their considerable powers. Besides Floating Clouds, this might be the only other Naruse film in which the war plays an integral role in shaping and defining the characters and their eventual fates. But unlike that masterpiece, the relationship at the heart of the film is between a woman and her mother-in-law who persevere through various traumatic events and personal tragedies, all handled with grace and dexterity by the master. Yet another unheralded gem in the ever-remarkable Naruse canon.