Ugetsu

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Ugetsu

Released Sep 7, 1953

1h 36m

Fantasy

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33 Reviews

93%

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5,000+ Ratings

In 16th century Japan, peasants Genjuro (Masayuki Mori) and Tobei (Sakae Ozawa) sell their earthenware pots to a group of soldiers in a nearby village, in defiance of a local sage's warning against seeking to profit from warfare. Genjuro's pursuit of both riches and the mysterious Lady Wakasa (Machiko Kyō), as well as Tobei's desire to become a samurai, run the risk of destroying both themselves and their wives, Miyagi (Kinuyo Tanaka) and Ohama (Mitsuko Mito).

Critics Consensus

With its thought-provoking themes, rich atmosphere, and brilliant direction, Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu monogatari is a towering classic of world cinema.

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Jonas Mekas

Village Voice

Ugetsu, with its many adventures and accidents and stories, is a well-constructed work of art, growing out of a sense of drama.

Apr 20, 2022

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Alan Scherstuhl

Village Voice

With rare humanity, Mizoguchi reveals the toll these misadventures take on the souls of both men and their wives, many moments an uncanny synthesis of the realistic and the otherworldly.

Feb 28, 2017

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Variety Staff

Variety

Tale of two men in seething 16th-century Japan has a color and panorama which makes this absorbing film fare.

Sep 16, 2008

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Penelope Gilliatt

Observer (UK)

Mizoguchi was trained as a painter, and his deep-focus shots often remind one of a Dutch interior.

Mar 5, 2024

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Mizoguchi's blend of historicity, artistic refinement, and human observation combines with his rare embrace of the spiritual in Ugetsu, and its effect is entrancing, affecting, and unforgettable.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 14, 2022

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Mizoguchi's exquisitely tragic ghost story is his finest cinematic achievement.

Rated: 4.5/5

Sep 9, 2020

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g j

Lavish sets and beautiful costumes are nevertheless hampered by fairly poor structure and pacing, and a hard-to-follow story. This is still vastly better than most contemporary American or British cinema.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/01/25

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Lars N

Beautiful to look at and interesting story, but slow. It doesn't quite reach the level of some of it's contemporaries like Woman in the Dune, Seven Samurai or Harakiri

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/23/25

Full Review

Sam N

Ugetsu is a hauntingly beautiful film, drenched in ethereal visuals and poignant tragedy. Mizoguchi weaves an allegory for post-WWII Japan, exposing the futility of greed and ambition born of war. While many Japanese films of the period look forward, drawing a line under Imperial Japan Ugetsu gazes back in sorrow and personal regret at actions that enabled the futile war and cultural traditions that culminated in the horrific bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ending the rule of the Imperial Crown. It’s mesmerising, profoundly affecting, and lingers like a ghostly memory.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/09/25

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Albert D

A towering classic of Japanese history and atmosphere! Watch it!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/16/24

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Tom F

A beautiful parable about the tragedy of getting what you ask for.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/10/24

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Dani G

Interesting story, in the most japanese way of 50's cinema. Unique as always

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/15/23

Full Review

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Kenji Mizoguchi

Director

Machiko Kyō

Lady Wakasa

Masayuki Mori

Genjurô

Kinuyo Tanaka

Miyagi

Sakae Ozawa

To^bei

Ikio Sawamura

Genichi

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Synopsis

In 16th century Japan, peasants Genjuro (Masayuki Mori) and Tobei (Sakae Ozawa) sell their earthenware pots to a group of soldiers in a nearby village, in defiance of a local sage's warning against seeking to profit from warfare. Genjuro's pursuit of both riches and the mysterious Lady Wakasa (Machiko Kyō), as well as Tobei's desire to become a samurai, run the risk of destroying both themselves and their wives, Miyagi (Kinuyo Tanaka) and Ohama (Mitsuko Mito).

Director: Kenji Mizoguchi
Producer: Masaichi Nagata
Screenwriter: Matsutarô Kawaguchi
Distributor: Video Yesteryear, Criterion Collection, Edward Harrison [us]
Production Co: Daiei Studios
Genre: Fantasy
Original Language: Japanese
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 7, 1953, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 23, 2017
Runtime: 1h 36m

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