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The Ball at the Anjo House
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Wikipedia article
is a 1947 Japanese drama film directed by Kzabur Yoshimura. The film won the 1947 Kinema Junpo Award for Best Film.
Plot
After Japan's defeat in the Pacific War, the wealthy Anj family have to give up their mansion and their way of life in the wake of the post-war agrarian reform. While the widowed father Tadahiko grieves for the lost social status, and both the cynical son Masahiko and the older sister show only contempt for their lower-class ex-lovers who they dropped, the younger daughter Atsuko accepts the new circumstances and tries to find her own place in the new Japan. Tadahiko decides to hold one last ball at the house before leaving, which results in numerous confrontations, including Tadahiko and ruthless businessman Shinkawa, to whom he is indebted, and Masahiko and his fiance Yko, Shinkawa's daughter. Towards the end of the festivity, Tadahiko officially presents his geisha mistress as his life partner to the noble guests. After the ball has ended, he tries to commit suicide, but is held back by Atsuko.
Cast
* Setsuko Hara as Atsuko Anj
* Osamu Takizawa as Tadahiko Anj
* Masayuki Mori as Masahiko Anj
* Yumeko Aizome as Akiko Anj
* Masao Shimizu as Ryzabur Shinkawa
* Keiko Tsushima as Yko Shinkawa
* Chieko Murata as Chiyo
Legacy
The British Film Institute included 'The Ball at the Anjo House' in its "Best Japanese film of every year" list, pointing out the film's "inventive camerawork" and "superb performances", in particular those by Setsuko Hara and Masayuki Mori, and calling it "stylish", "moving" and "inteligent". Film historian Donald Richie drew parallels between Kaneto Shind's script and Anton Chekhov's 'The Cherry Orchard' in his book 'A Hundred Years of Japanese Film'.
Awards
* 1948: Kinema Junpo Award for Best Film of the Year
* 1948: Mainichi Film Award for Best Actor Masayuki Mori
References
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