Black and White . 140 minutes

Shochiku Ofuna Studio

Written By
Ozu Yasujiro
Noda Kogo

Cinematography
Atsuta Yuharu

Music By
Satio Kojun


Cast
Hara Setsuko (Numata Takako)
Arima Ineko (Sugiyama Akiko)
Ryu Chishu (Sugiyama Shukichi)
Yamada Isuzu (Soma Kisako)
Takahashi Teiji (Kawaguchi Noburo)
Taura Masami (Kimura Kenji)
Sugimura Haruko (Takeuchi Shigeko)
Yamamura So (Sekiguchi Seki)
Shin Kinzo (Numata Yasuo)
Fujiwara Kamatari (Noodle Vendor)
Nakamura Nobuo (Aiba Sakae)

Synopsis
Middle-aged banker Sugiyama presides over a troubled household. His eldest daughter Takako has returned home with her baby girl following a rift with her alcoholic, abusive husband. The younger daughter, Akiko, has an unwanted pregnancy, and searches in vain in Tokyo's seedier quarters for her boyfriend Kenji. In a matter of days, Akiko goes through police detention, an abortion and a fraught reunion with her long-lost mother. The discovery that she had run off with her father's subordinate proves too much for her, and she commits suicide. After her death, Takako decides to have another go at her marriage for her daughter's sake. Sugiyama is left alone in his house.

Thoughts from Ozu
Although the film had been said to be about a young woman's transgression, for me, the emphasis was first and foremost on Ryu Chishu's life - how a man whose wife has deserted him would cope. The focus was directed at the older generation. As for the younger generation, it merely served as parallel. However, most people only had eyes for what was intended as embellishment on the main theme.

Personal Thoughts and Comments
Tokyo Twilight is again reminiscent of Ozu's quintessential post-war themes and minimalist style that made him one of the greatest filmmakers of all-time. At the center of all Ozu's post-war films is the unavoidable sadness of life caused through change. This is again evident here but in a much darker way
then any other Ozu film. From the grim opening shots of the film, Tokyo Twilight establishes it's dark tone. Themes of marriage, isolation, and parent/child communication (or lack there of) are again expressed through Ozu's masterful cinematic language and trademark visual compositions and cast. Tokyo Twilight carries a pessimism and despair with issues of death, abortion, and adultery that make it Ozu's darkest film. Fittingly Tokyo Twilight is the last black and white film Ozu made before moving to color with his 1958 film Equinox Flower. Ozu-regulars Chishu Ryu and Setsuko Hara are once again outstanding as the single father and elder sister, and the film features a fine performance from Ineko Arima, who was starring in her first film for Ozu (he would cast her again in his next film). As usual Hara is especially terrific, here as the sister who's emotions are torn. Under Ozu direction, Hara has such an ability at capturing the most complex emotions through the smallest of gestures. Tokyo Twilight is a masterpiece achievement from one of the very greatest filmmakers in the world of cinema. To me this rates among the best films Ozu ever made.