REPAST / A MARRIED LIFE / CALLINGS (Lit.) (MESHI). Viewed on Streaming. Cinematography/lighting = seven (7) stars; score = seven (7) stars; restoration/preservation = six (6) stars. Director Mikio Naruse's initial examination (he would repeat this in later films) of the exploitation of women through marriage. The plot line concerns a young women who relocates from Tokyo to a less-than-desirable Osaka suburb seeking post-war economic security by marrying a salary man who seems incapable of differentiating his wife from a servant. Finally, the wife flees back to her well-off family (in Tokyo), but eventually returns to her domestic drudgery. In the midst of this mundane circular soap opera, Naruse throws in scenes showing women working in various professions. The Director seems to be making the point that housewife exploitation can be mitigated/avoided, since these women are finding at least some economic security outside of marriage even in the (then) current economic climate. Naruse also uses voice-over narrative at the start and end of film to underline the situation for audience members who may be slow on the uptake! A number of veteran actresses and actors appear in the film including Setsuko Hara (playing the wife) and Haruko Sugimura (in the role of her mother). The mostly seasoned cast is well directed. Cinematography (narrow-screen, black and white) includes a fair number of tracking shots. Lighting is a bit inconsistent with many scenes starting off poorly lit. Score is good with music smoothly and effectively deployed through the movie. Restoration missed many/most artifacts stemming from poor splicing between the original reels. Subtitles are close enough. Mildly entertaining, innocuous Toho programmer. WILLIAM FLANIGAN PhD.
Review of Repast
