The End of Summer Review

Depression-hit brewer Ganjiro Nakamura consents to the arranged marriages of his daughter and widowed daughter-in-law, while offending their sensibilities by devoting so much attention to his former mistress.

by David Parkinson |
Published on
Release Date:

01 Jan 1964

Running Time:

0 minutes

Certificate:

U

Original Title:

End of Summer, The

Although written with great insight by Kogo Noda and filmed with painterly delicacy by Asakazu Nakai, the stamp of the great Yasujiro Ozu is evident throughout this intricate domestic drama, which proved to be the director's penultimate film.

What's so intriguing is the manner in which Ozu blends the physical features of Japan on the cusp of modernity and economic recovery with the traditional approach to family life, as depression-hit brewer Ganjiro Nakamura consents to the arranged marriages of his daughter and widowed daughter-in-law, while offending their sensibilities by devoting so much attention to his former mistress.

Written with great insight by Kogo Noda and filmed with painterly delicacy by Asakazu Nakai, though Ozu's touch brings the magic to this domestic drama.
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