This time Ozu does not settle his film in Tokyo, but in a small town at the coast. And it is not a home-drama. At the centre are the experiences of a Kabuki-troup. Thus Ozu can play with the cliches of the Geisha and Samurai film. But not only Geishas and Samurais have become outdated, but also the representation of the latter by Kabuki-theater. The educated miss "social relevance" the others the pink panties of the dancing girls. The show of the theater group is a failure, and all the actors ask themselves for which reason they have come to such a place. But they get top know that the head of the troup visits an old lady whose son thinks he is the actor's nephew.... From this constellation originates a typical Ozu story of love, betrayal, disillusion with an ending you would not have expected seconds before. The whole film is characterized by beautiful and symbolic arrangements of Japanese interieurs, though mostly of the traditional type. I hope that other dubbed versions are not as awful as the German one.
Review of Floating Weeds
