In 16th century Japan, peasants Genjuro and Tobei 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, as well as Tobei's desire to become a samurai, run the risk of destroying both themselves and their wives, Miyagi and Ohama.
Direction
Mizoguchi's flowing long takes feel like being carried by a river.
Cinematography
Black-and-white mist that makes every frame look haunted.
Acting
Machiko Kyō's ghost—desperate, ancient, devastating.
Director
Kenji Mizoguchi
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Based on Akinari Ueda's 1776 ghost stories; Mizoguchi added the wives' suffering to critique postwar Japan's materialism.
The final tracking shot of Miyagi—filmed in one take after 28 attempts—was achieved by mounting the camera on a boat.
JP
