• As is with all of the better Ozu films- there is the drama and the pillow shot cutaways. Here the main drama deals with the family in the title, the death of the patriarch, mother adjusting to life on her own and the family and children adjusting, reflecting and taking care of her while they deal with their own issues
  • I love the cutaways to the grandfather clock—clocks would be a large motif in this film
  • I was thrilled I was able to find the cutaway of the hats from the men at the funeral in an absolutely gorgeous and loaded mise-en-scene shot
  • Deal’s with duties of family vs. personal wants—“I’m the eldest son”
  • Teapots scattered on the floor
  • A great pillow shot mini-montage of the open corridors
  • Many times we have the motif of caged bird
  • Lovely cutaway to the beach
  • The drama—for the patient viewer- holds such richness in the subtleties and nuance in these “average” characters- Ozu takes sure pleasure dwelling on their unremarkable (at least outwardly or in typical movie fashion) life
  • Recommend