Black and White . 71 minutes

Shochiku Ofuna Studio

Written By
Ozu Yasujiro ('James Maki')
Fushimi Akira

Cinematography
Mohara Hideo

Music By
Ito Senji

Cast
Kurishima Sumiko (Tokiko)
Saito Tatsuo (Komiya)
Kuwano Kayoko (Setsuko)
Sano Shuji (Okada)
Sakamoto Takeshi (Sugiyama)
Iida Choko (Chiyoko)
Uehara Ken (Himself)
Yoshikawa Mitsuko (Mitsuko)
Hayama Masao (Fujio)
Tokkan Kozo (Tomio)

Synopsis
The lives of hen-pecked Professor Komiya and his socialite wife Tokiko are turned upside down when their spoilt niece Setsuko comes to stay with them for Osaka. Setsuko discovers Komiya lying to Tokiko about going off to play golf when in fact he's gone to a Ginza bar. She follows him and insists on being taken to a geisha house. When their conspiracy backfires, Setsuko incites Komiya to teach her overbearing aunt a lesson. Komiya slaps Tokiko. However, to Tokiko's disappointment, he soon apologizes, but Tokiko is charmed by his manliness. On a date with Komiya's student Okada negotiates how they will treat each other once married.

Thoughts from Ozu
A special feature of this film is the location which has shifted from the shitamachi (downtown quarter) common to my previous films to the area along the Yamanote line. Incidentally, I moved house from Fukagawa to Takanawa Minamicho, but that was not the reason for setting my film in this area. It was pointed out that relatively few films took place there, and it is still the case with movies now, though films set in shitamachi or the suburbs are so common.

Personal Thoughts and Comments
What Did the Lady Forget is a joy of a film from Ozu. His earliest influence as a filmmaker was from the West and while this is evident in much of his earliest silent films it may be most prominent in this early talkie. The film is a social satire of the upper class and it even mixes in elements of screwball comedy. The great German-American filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch (known for his "Lubitsch touch') seems to be an influence here. Ultimately this is Ozu at his most lighthearted and charming. This film does not express the human condition as powerfully as his previous film (his first talkie The Only Son). What Did the Lady Forget is a wonderful comedy highlight by terrific performances. This may not be the most significant film Ozu made, but it is among his most endlessly watchable and endearing comedies.