A Woman’s Sorrows
(Nyonin aishu AKA Feminine Melancholy )
With Irie Takako, Saeki Hideo, Okawa Heihachiro.
Japan, 1937, 35mm, black & white, 74 min.
Japanese with English subtitles.
Print source: National Film Archive of Japan
“Anyway, since I cannot get married to someone I love, anyone will do.” The “someone” Hiroko speaks of might be her cousin Ryosuke with whom she shares a close friendship. Instead, upon her arranged marriage to a wealthy man, she glides into a life of servitude within his family’s lively home, aided by her many skills, low self-esteem and congenial nature. As with many Naruse heroines, Hiroko eventually discovers her limits and does not let oppression cloud her goodness. When her sister-in-law’s fiancé turns to drastic measures to save their relationship, Hiroko takes a bold stance—even defying her husband—to fight for a love that seems true. Naruse boldly posits the inequalities of marriage and gender roles through Hiroko’s plight, contrasting her arduous marriage with both the playful ignorance of adolescents and the younger couple’s dramatic romance. Just as Hiroko’s choice seems clear, Naruse adds an unexpected twist in the form of a feminist clarion call, freeing her narrative from patriarchal limitations. – Brittany Gravely
Part of film series
Screenings from this program
Sound of the Mountain
Anzukko
Mother
Sincerity
Summer Clouds
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
Summer Clouds
The Stranger within a Woman
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
Traveling Actors
Scattered Clouds
Scattered Clouds
Flowing
A Wanderer’s Notebook
Repast
Every-Night Dreams
Apart From You
No Blood Relation
Street Without End
The Road I Travel with You / Avalanche
Every-Night Dreams
