Kenji Mizoguchi is widely regarded as one of the greatest prominent figures in global cinema. In 1898 in Hongo, Tokyo, he was born in a middle-class neighborhood. Regrettably, he died from leukemia at 53 years of age in 1956 (Yomota 110). Mizoguchi did not immediately become a director; however, in 1919, after painting and briefly developing promotions for the Kobe Soshin Daily News Within the city of Kode, he went to Tokyo to undertake an acting career. He began his career as an actor with the Nikkatsu motion picture firm and began creating his films after three years (Abraham). He studied both Japanese and western art and literature, and it was not until 1936 that he established his reputation with the release of “Osaka Elegy.” He developed his voice as a director, stating that he was now able to present life as he perceives it (Yomota 109). Mizoguchi created numerous films that are well-known in the history of Japanese filmmaking.
Mizoguchi lived during a historical period termed the Golden Age. The Golden Age occurred during the post-World War II period, from the mid-1940s until the later 1950s (Spicer 126). It was an era in which leading Japanese filmmakers were able to revive themselves after the economic collapse. The masters of this era were Mizoguchi, Ozu, and Kurosawa. A sense of contemplation marked Ozu’s art, while Kurosawa’s works elicited strong emotional responses (Neer 471). Mizoguchi was believed to be a hybrid of the two genres. Mizoguchi’s movies, such as “Ugetsu” (1953) and “Sansho the Bailiff” (1954), have an emotional drive that elevated him above the pack (Neer 472). Mizoguchi created a more intense atmosphere using lighting, camera configuration and movements, and unique modifications of the characters inside the frame. Individuals would assert his films, remarking how the figures walked slowly as marionettes operated off-screen. Mizoguchi highlighted sad occasions throughout his movies by never revealing his characters’ faces during times of sorrow (Neer 473). He occasionally had his actors bend, conceal their eyes, or crawl on the floor while the camera was kept at a safe distance. This conveyed that the emotions his players were encountering were too strong to document. He had a tremendous deal of sympathy for women who often found themselves trapped in these unfortunate situations. These bizarre circumstances served to highlight their social inferiority in Japan.
Mizoguchi directed various films throughout his tenure, some of which were remarkable. A natural calamity eroded the majority of his movies from the 1920s and 1930s during World War II. Among the films that were preserved, a handful received widespread recognition. “A sister of Gion” (1936) is among the most acclaimed films yet is seldom seen, owing to its ageless drama and pitch-dark humor (Spicer 129). Mizoguchi’s movie “Story of Late Chrysanthemums” is one of his most charming and understandable works (Spicer 129). It’s a movie about a lady who is deeply in love with a guy that she is willing to give up practically everything for his film career. Finally, the movie “Ugetsu” describes a potter and his wife as he abandons her for his desires and eventually marries a gorgeous ghost. These three films have a similar topic of feminism, which Mizoguchi explores most of his work.
To appreciate the topics he explores in his films, it is necessary to fully comprehend his upbringing, which heavily impacts why he chooses to concentrate on certain parts of life. Mizoguchi’s dad lost their finances in an unsuccessful business venture when he was aged seven (Yomota 110). As a result, Mizoguchi and the family were soon compelled to relocate to Asakusa, an underclass area. Following his mother’s death, his father placed, Suza, his sister, for adoption, finally selling her to a geisha home. Mizoguchi has deep anger towards his father, having seen his father’s violence against his sister and mother. Mizoguchi was taken to live with his kins when his father could not support him (Yomota 112). In the end, he managed to be a painter, eventually making his first film, “The Resurrection of Love,” with the help of his sister Suza.
It becomes clear why Mizoguchi devotes several of his movies to feminism and the way societal and economic factors conspire against women. His upbringing has a strong resemblance to the subject matter of his works. The tyrannical masculine character has a striking resemblance to his father. The noble and self-sacrificing ladies in his movies resemble his mother and sister. The films “Osaka Elegy,” “The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums,” “The Life of Oharu,” “Sansho the Bailiff,” as well as “Ugetsu” are all intimately related to this (Abraham). Not only are feminism and modernity discussed in these movies, but also traditional morals and modernism. The movie “Osake Elegy” depicts not just an oppressed female but also a female who defies traditions and is finally labeled a “modern girl” who is rejected by her classmates and family (Spicer 129). According to a researcher at Willamette University, “if there is a common thread that runs throughout most of Mizoguchi’s films, it is his empathy for people, especially women, who are oppressed by society” (Spicer 130). Hence, in most of his films, the theme of oppression and feminism is highlighted.
Mizoguchi displays his obsessions and artistic visual aesthetics while creating these magnificent films. He had one of his best actresses, Tanka, practice a scene approximately 700 times while filming “The Straits of Love and Hate” (Jacoby 74). According to her, Mizoguchi almost compelled her to study a whole library in preparation for her part. He was renowned for pushing his performers and actresses to their extreme limits (Jacoby 74). He nudged Tanka, yet her superb presentations were evident since she featured in three of Mizoguchi’s finest feminist films. Tanka was little and frail, yet her quiet assertiveness in sad sequences made her a desirable performer. He was a firm believer in establishing authenticity and accurately depicting historical events.
In the last scenes of “Sansho the Bailiff,” a man forced into slavery is reconnected with his mom, who had been molested, disabled, and neglected. Mizoguchi only permits the audience to view from a great distance (Neer 473). This concluding scenario is another instance of his preference for filming emotional sequences from a range or without revealing the participants’ faces. To him, the disasters encountered by the players are decided only by outright human nature and destiny.
Mizoguchi was well-known for many films, including “Osaka Elegy,” which provided a template for most of his subsequent films. In this movie, Ayoka, a young lady, works as a phone line operator. As she struggles to maintain her family, she is compelled to become her boss’ mistress. Ayoka’s downward spiral continues until she is eventually coerced into prostitution in order to assist her family’s financial situation (Spicer 131). Her family uses her money but remains enraged by her. Mizoguchi’s analysis of the film as a whole reveals recurring images of people transacting. These transactions contribute to the erosion of moral dignity by using money as a substitute for interpersonal interactions.
Social and economic gain were the driving forces for the marriage of the central actors in the film Mr. & Mrs. Asia. Mrs. Asia gives Ayoka’s lover, Nishimura, theater tickets so she may go to the theater with him. After hearing her plight, Mr. Asia offers to help Ayoka pay off her father’s debt. Money plays a significant role in all of these scenarios (Neer 474). Ironically, Ayoka is portrayed as a wayward Moga who causes embarrassment to her family by adhering to cultural customs and fulfilling family obligations. As Ayoka exits, she does not seem to be distressed but rather confident and forceful.
Mizoguchi earns his image as a feminist filmmaker with his 1939 film “The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums.” This film follows a kabuki performer who develops feelings for a servant girl called Otoku. Although his family dismisses her, she continues to make sacrifices to help him become a renowned performer (Spicer 137). Mizoguchi confronts the audience by promoting self-awareness and raising questions about societal obligations (Spicer 137). To do this effectively, I would contend that Mizoguchi needed to build a cinema style that adopted a far more Japanese style as the basis of mise en scène. “Ugetsu” is among his most accomplished works and is a tale about two men who abandon their spouses to follow their selfish ambitions (Neer 474). One spouse is mesmerized by a gorgeous ghost. However, these men’s spouses endure. One is assassinated, while the other is forced into sex trafficking. This is a film about love, treachery, and greed.
Mizoguchi’s preference for expressing women’s pain is apparent, yet in the 1940s, the state intervened and demanded a film to promote propaganda. He felt compelled to capture samurai aspects. In 1942, “The Loyal Forty-Seven Ronin” was the most notable picture for this (Neer 485). “The Loyal Forty-Seven Ronin” is a legendary tale in Japan, having been recounted in several theatre adaptations and countless films. It is the narrative of a gang of samurai seeking vengeance against their master. The narrative was renowned for its brutality, action, and treachery.
The government compelled him to make this film in order to instill loyalty in the public as their nation descended further into World War II. They want to realize the themes of self-sacrifice for the common good. Mizoguchi reacted to this work by infusing the narrative with his brand of gloomy themes, resulting in one of his greatest fascinating works (Neer 486). Nevertheless, the government recognized his success since the primary purpose of self-sacrifice was accomplished. Following the success of his film, he declined to relinquish his concern for women’s oppression, directing “Victory of Women” in 1946 and “Women of the Night” in 1948 (Neer 490). Mizoguchi was not compelled to create his last movie, “Street of Shame,” but the movie did get the attention of the authorities. The film was made when a measure prohibiting prostitution was being considered. Within a year after the film’s debut, prostitution was prohibited. His video demonstrated that the prostitute issue was much too intricate to be resolved via black-and-white regulation.
Mizoguchi has created several wonderful films with his directorial style, camera methods, and subjects. He is consistent in his approach to his job. Several of his films have specific characteristics, such as his emphasis on the persecution of women. One component was his consistent use of a sad or emotional conclusion that he would capture from a distance. Despite his brief life, Mizoguchi had a lasting effect on Japanese film.
Works Cited
Abraham, Weiler. “Life of Oharu’ (Published 1964).” The New York Times, 2022, Web.
Jacoby, Alexander. “Looking and Touching: The long take in five women around Utamaro (Mizoguchi Kenji 1946).” The Long Take. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 2017, p. 73-87.
Neer, Richard. “Lightweight: Mizoguchi, Ugetsu, and the Displacement of Criteria.” Critical Inquiry, vol, 45, no. 2, 2019, p. 471-505.
Spicer, Paul. “Mizoguchi, Melodrama, and the Psychology of Nature: Exploring relationships between worlds in Kenji Mizoguchi’s Musashino Fujin (1951).” Quarterly Review of Film and Video, vol, 36, no.2, 2019, p. 125-139.
Spicer, Paul. “Nationalism, Censorship and Subversion: An exploration of meaning in Kenji Mizoguchi’s war years pictures (1939-1945).” Thammasat Review, vol, 22, no.2, 2019 p. 135-149.
Yomota, Inuhiko. “Toward a Second Golden Age: 1952–1960.” De Gruyter, 2019, p. 109–126.