My Favorite Yasujiro Ozu Movie

Yasujiro Ozu movies may be difficult to approach at first. They appear to be very culture-specific, because they deal primarily with the domestic lives of the Japanese, and often feature unfamiliar social customs. However, the stories always come down to universal family relationships, usually those of parents and their children. Major conflicts are rarely in play, but there are often difficult situations or troubling circumstances that have arisen which cause the characters considerable worry. Ozu films are about ordinary people, living out ordinary lives, but they can be very absorbing, and have great emotional impact.

There are certain films that need a little life experience on the part of the viewer in order to appreciate fully. I've found that this is the case with many of Ozu's films, because they often feature older characters, and they're very leisurely paced. The atmosphere is as important as the developments of the plot. Ozu's most famous film, "Tokyo Story," is about an elderly couple who encounter difficulties when visiting their adult children in the big city. Their feelings of displacement are conveyed as much through shot composition as they are through the performances and dialogue. And then there's my favorite Ozu film, "Late Spring," about a father and daughter pair who must face the question of the daughter's future.

The situation is one that Ozu examined many times in many different films. The beloved daughter has grown up, and it's time that she got married and started her own family. In "Late Spring," Professor Shukichi Somiya (Chishu Ryu) is a widower who has lived only with his daughter, Noriko (Setsuko Hara), for many years. Noriko is now in her late twenties, but whenever the subject comes up she insists that she's not interested in marriage. Her father and many of their acquaintances are starting to worry about her prospects. They set about discovering the reason for Noriko's feelings and seeing if they can be changed. Potential matches are discussed, meetings are arranged, and finally the truth about Noriko's reluctance is discovered and addressed.

Ozu films appear to be very slight on the surface. In "Late Spring," the action is limited to a series of conversations and everyday occurrences. However, the lives of the Somiyas are changed forever by what is ultimately decided. These are not important events in the larger scheme of things, and it's easy to imagine that this situation is a fairly common one in families with children of a certain age. However, in the moment, as we live out these events with these specific characters, the drama is remarkably affecting. We get to know Professor Somiya, a kindly, older man with a pleasant temperament. Like many of Ozu's heroes, he's very polite and unassuming, willing to listen to the advice of others, and deeply concerned about the welfare of his daughter. Then there's Noriko. Setsuko Hara is such a cheerful, warm presence, and gives Noriko a winning personality and easy charm.

I was a little wary of "Late Spring" before I watched it, because the idea of getting a daughter married off for her own good seemed a rather retrograde and unpleasant idea. However, story wasn't nearly so simple. The real love story at the center of the film is between the father and daughter who have depended on each other for so long, and are both reluctant to part ways for different reasons. It's their relationship that is the heart of the matter, one that has to change in order for both of them to move on as they must. Ozu portrays their struggle as a natural turning point in both of their lives, one that is as inevitable as it is painful. And he does it with such sensitivity and such candidness, in such a straightforward way.

After seeing many more of Ozu's films, I've grown to appreciate their lightness of tone, and easygoing, minimalist style. His shots are always perfectly constructed, but static. The camera almost never moves, and cuts are carefully employed. Most stories take place in the modern day, set in middle class and lower class homes, which are always made to look peaceful and inviting. There's something very relaxing about watching an Ozu film, knowing that the people will always be friendly and talkative, the scenery will always be picturesque, and though there may be some tears shed, life will go on as it should in the end.

I'm glad I first watched "Late Spring" when I was in my late-twenties, when I could identify very strongly with Noriko and all of her worries about moving on into a new stage of life. I expect that in a few decades, I'll be able to watch it again, but this time with more appreciation for the father's point of view. I'm actually looking forward to it.
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