• Certainly Ozu’s lightest film in decades—a far from A Hen in the Wind – this one recalls 1932’s I was Born, but … but with Ozu’s mise-en-scene detail and movement towards those beautifully pillow shots- even if it’s not his most dedicated on either front
  • Generational conflict again
  • Comparable to Amarcord in many ways from Fellini (which comes nearly 15 years after of course) as it’s a slice of life of a community (in this case neighbors living in very close proximity) and it’s light, humor driven. There’s not as much nostalgia as Fellini’s film—probably as many fart jokes
  • Opens on the power lines with steel and you can see the laundry in the establishing shot—goes to the alley next
  • Playful music- hasn’t had this tone in 20+ years—the score could be from a Tati film or Nino Rota
  • Love the dresser with a different color for each drawer
  • Very modern- television. English lessons. Poster of The defiant ones in the house of the neighbor who is progressive
  • Ensemble- four families shown in first 10 minutes
  • Brothers in matching sweaters like I was Born, but…
  • Green teapot unlike the red one in Equinox Flowers
  • The final pillow shot itself is a joke as it’s Ozu’s go-to laundry pillow shot but this time the inference is that it’s one of the boy’s soiled laundry from trying to fart on command.
  • Light, entertaining
  • Recommend/HR border- probably pushed out of the top 10 by a strong year in 1959