Woman of Tokyo

Yasujirō Ozu's 1933 Japanese film follows Chikako, who types by day and does other work at night to pay for her brother's studies. When the brother hears of it the story turns into a matter of honour, and the outcome is harsh. The film runs forty-seven minutes and belongs to Ozu's silent period. The question at its centre is whose sacrifice holds a family up, and how that sacrifice is turned into shame. Ozu directs the blame at the brother, not the woman. The film closes on the indifference of journalists reporting the event, a sharp criticism for its time. Who it's for: viewers interested in Ozu's early period and Japanese silent cinema. Who it's not for: anyone wanting a long narrative, or avoiding the subject of suicide.