When a Woman Ascends the Stairs

Aroview: Melancholic masterpiece from a largely overshadowed figure in Japanese cinema: concerning the post-war ‘water trade’ of bar hostesses in Tokyo’s nightlife district, one woman’s personal autonomy is thwarted in a profession governed by a male-dominated society.

Parallel to Ozu, dir. Naruse reveals a tremendous empathy for female constitution, siphoning a sombre, socially astute melodrama through austere Japanese channels, with an incandescent Hideko Takamine bringing seriousness, warmth, and emotional fortitude to the modern day ‘Geisha’ role.

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