Ornamental Hairpin

Hiroshi Shimizu's 1941 Japanese film takes place at a hot spring inn. One of the guests cuts his foot on a hairpin left in the bath; the residents wonder who left it, and the woman comes a few days later to apologise. The film draws a portrait of a small community out of that incident. A retired professor, two older men, a family and the injured soldier are all at the same inn; each has his own rhythm and the narrative centres none of them. Although it was made in a war year the film carries none of the propaganda language of the period. The soldier's effort to recover, learning to walk again, and the woman's staying to help are the only line of development. Kinuyo Tanaka leads. Who it's for: those who like classic Japanese cinema and uneventful community narratives. Who it's not for: viewers looking for dramatic intensity; the film does not move beyond everyday detail.