Dating from 1962, Ozu’s sublime final film (and one of his only two in colour) plays variations on his perennial themes of marriage and inter-generational tensions.
Chisû Ryû, Ozu’s favourite actor, is the elderly widower who comes to wonder if he’s being selfish in relying on his unmarried daughter to look after him. Having consulted with his friends – over much sake – he sets out to find a husband for her.
Mellow and rich in ironic humour, the film carries an undertow of gentle melancholy; as so often with Ozu, its ultimate message is that loneliness is the human condition.
