Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

An Autumn Afternoon (1962)

Average user rating

1 review

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Ozu’s final film is a movingly valedictory affair, its familiar story of Ryu’s elderly widower marrying off daughter Iwashita carrying even more poignancy than usual as a poised and wise reminder of passing time and the inevitable approach of mortality. The gentle humour’s there as ever, but in the sub-plot showing Ryu’s former teacher’s twilight years beset by drink-sodden regrets, the emotions are darker and tougher than previously. The central performance is, of course, a marvel of no-nonsense, unspoken expressiveness, set against exquisitely arranged colour compositions and the director’s loveable repertory company in fine fettle. Whether the film’s making was affected by the death of Ozu’s mother and the onset of his own final illness is hard to quantify, but it does feel like a leave-taking. A year after its release he died on his sixtieth birthday.

Author: TJ

Time Out Film Guide

Email Tweet Share

User reviews of this film

Technoguy said...

Posted on Feb 24 2009 11:04 Thoroughly commendable end to a great career spinning out variations on a theme of tradition versus
modernity.Ozu being a traditionalist but being open to
the changes coming in from the west.He also depicts
the traditions of children leaving home to marry and
the loss and loneliness that ensues. Here a widower
sees the fate in store for his daughter if she stays with
him(though she wants to) beyond her prime years of
marrying a partner and settling down and having kids.
What amazes me is the quite heroism of the father and
generosity as he puts his daughter's future above his own comforts.There is a theme of getting drunk to drown ones sorrows which is depicted often in his films
as the director himself had a problem with drink. The
film before this one-Late Autumn was also in colour
as well as Good Morning. In these late films there is a definite Jacques Tatl influence in picture compostion,
colour and music. He keeps bleak emotions under
control with great elegance.

Report as inappropriate