Tsuma No Kokoro

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william d Excellent, if rather obscure, work by Naruse. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member I think one reason why Naruse's films are so compelling is that you just don't know how they are going to end. Hollywood melodramas were guaranteed to conclude on a happy note (even if it sometimes rang false). However, Naruse could go either way, often spiralling downward into a melancholy landing, but very occasionally offering a glimmer of hope. In A Wife's Heart, we share Hideko Takamine's point of view as she and her husband plan to build a café next to the family grocery store. However, her mother-in-law is against it, her older brother-in-law begs for their money, and her husband starts staying out late nights avoiding the situation. What will she do? Toshiro Mifune plays an attractive bachelor who offers some alternate possibilities. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/04/23 Full Review Audience Member A Wife's Heart is my long anticipated return to the films of Mikio Naruse. He's simply an incredible filmmaker that stands his ground with Ozu, Kurosawa, and Kobayashi. This film is a simple pleasure, but conveys the complications of relationships we all have. A couple, that live with the husband's mother, start to focus on turning a patch of empty land into a cafe. However, his brother soon turns up asking for some of the loan money as he is out of a job. The film looks at some difficult themes, such as duty to oneself rather than a family member. It's heartbreaking to see so much effort go into a dream, and then see loved ones beg for help. No one is a villain, but everyone is slightly self-centered. Whether they are unwittingly leading on another man, asking their son for too much, being a coward etc. These are everyday occurences, but from Naruse's expert eye, they are presented with a freshness not seen these days. The climax is of a character overhearing a laugh, which in-turn makes her smile. It's these kinds of sweet, visual gestures, that make his films a pleasure to watch. Takamine gives a powerful performance. She's a woman that is beaten down by everyday life, but refuses to lash out against it. Her attraction to Mifune grows naturally, in a way even she doesn't realize. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Tsuma No Kokoro

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