Chiyoko Ōkura

Yamanaka Sadao's fourth feature film. The Life of Bangaku

Jeune standardiste, Ayako accepte les avances de son directeur pour venir en aide financièrement à sa famille en le faisant chanter. L'affaire éclate au grand jour et l'honneur d'Ayako s'en trouve bafoué. Elle cherche alors désespérément à se refaire une réputation…

Un orphelin, recueilli par un provincial au grand cœur, devient un brillant étudiant dans la capitale et se détourne de la fille de son bienfaiteur, avec laquelle il fut élevé, pour convoiter une jeune et riche héritière.

Forty-seven Ronin of the Ako clan are waiting for the right moment to avenge the insult and death of their master. The film tells the story of one of them named Akagaki Genzo.

A lost film telling a story of Jirokichi the Rat, a notorious thief

Jirokichi the Rat is a notorious thief. While on the run from the law, he discovers an unexpectedly honourable side of himself, and maybe some form of redemption.

A lost film that tells a story of Jirokichi, a notorious thief

There is an inn named Asano Ya in the port town, and a beautiful woman works there. Every year, during a local festival, travelling artists and teachers gather from all over the country, including sesame oil sellers and organ grinders. The day before the festival, trouble arises with some horses.

The tale of Nakayama Yasubei’s duel is famous, even if he in reality probably did not cut down 18 opponents. The story has been related in film, rakugo, kodan and on stage many times, in part because Nakayama later joined the famous 47 Ronin (Chushingura) as Horibe Yasubei. But Makino and Inagaki’s version gives no hint of this more serious future, playing up the thrills and the comedy with Bando’s bravura performance. The multiple pans of Yasubei running to the duel are an exemplar of the experimental flourishes of 1930s Japanese cinema and the final duel, performed virtually like a dance number, is a marker of Makino’s love of rhythm and one of the best sword fights in Japanese film history. The film was originally released under the title Chikemuri Takadanoba (Bloody Takadanobaba) with a length of 57 minutes, but suffered some cuts and a title change when it was re-released in 1952.

Japan's first feature film directed by a female. The film was about the naïve, premature emotions between a young geisha-to-be and a youth destined for Buddhist priesthood; it concluded with their separation.