Life of Oharu

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Anastasia Z @RT52207166 12/02/2024 A classic masterpiece that everyone should see once in their life. Kinuyo Tanaka is one of the best actresses. See more william d @acsdoug 09/12/2021 Wow, Oharu has it pretty rough in this well-made, 17th century Japanese chick flick. See more 10/14/2017 As this film opens, Oharu (Kinuyo Tanaka), a 50 year old prostitute, goes into a Buddhist temple and looks back at her life. We see that she was once loved, but because her young suitor (the great Toshiro Mifune) was of a lower caste, it was forbidden, resulting in her being banished and him being beheaded. As her family has been shamed, her father jumps on the chance to send her to a local Lord who is looking for a mistress who can be a surrogate mother. Unfortunately, she's abruptly dismissed after bearing him a son, and from there she steadily declines. The film was highly personal to director Kenji Mizoguchi since his own sister (who had raised him) was sold by their father to be a geisha, which is one of the things that happens to Oharu. Like 'Ugetsu', the film Mizoguchi made the following year, 'The Life of Oharu' is a morality tale, and while it's less heavy-handed than 'Ugetsu', it is fairly melodramatic. The central message is one of Buddhist compassion, and not just for those who we know have had a sad, unfair life - but also those who appear derelict or decrepit to us, and who we might otherwise judge, not knowing what they've experienced. While there is depth to that message, and it's certainly nice seeing a film that empathizes with woman and the misogyny they endure, 'The Life of Oharu' is dark and hard to watch for 148 minutes. The plot is quite linear and we see her used and abused in every single societal role she plays: daughter, lover, concubine, courtesan, wife, nun, and common prostitute. I also don't think Tanaka was well utilized in this role - she simply doesn't look young enough in early scenes, or old enough in later scenes. The filmmaking is good and the film has a solid place in film history for its message, but it's too bleak, and too simplistically so, for a film of this length. See more s r @ScottR 10/01/2017 Despite its sad drawn out story, it is a well made film. The moving camera shots alone make this worth seeing. See more 09/27/2017 This chick just can't catch a break! See more 10/26/2016 This masterpiece from Kenji Mizoguchi is not an easy film to watch, but it is a rewarding one for film buffs as it is created by a master at the top of his game. The story follows a woman who is repeatedly abused and taken advantage of by men, starting g with her father. Kinuyo Tanaka gives an outstanding performance in the title role of Oharu, and it is quite heartbreaking to watch. This is a must watch for serious film lovers! See more Read all reviews

Life of Oharu

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