Ugetsu (1953)

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Director: Kenji Mizoguchi

Writers: Matsutaro Kawaguchi & Yoshikata Yoda, with dialogue by Isamu Yoshii, based on an idea by Hisakazu Tsuji and stories by Akinari Ueda

Stars: Masayuki Mori, Eitaro Ozawa, Mitsuko Mito, Kinuyo Tanaka, Machiko Kyo, Sugisaku Aoyama, Mitsusaburo Ramon


During a time of civil war, two peasants abandon their families in pursuit of selfish dreams, later to be confronted by the consequences of their actions.
 


The importance of observing family obligations and the utter waste of war are emphasized here. 


The husbands (Masayuki Mori and Eitaro Ozawa) are preoccupied with foolish dreams of bettering themselves. 


They delude themselves into thinking that what they want will also be best for their wives. 


The wives (Mitsuko Mito and Kinuyo Tanaka) understand how precarious their lives are and beg their husbands to be more practical.
 

Supernatural elements (in the person of Machiko Kyo) introduce the concept of loss and sorrow so all-consuming that they cannot be extinguished by the end of physical existence but go on to trouble the living with their terrible consequences.


Spoiler alert!!! The end of the movie!!















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