Five Women Around Utamaro

Made immediately after the war, despite continuous opposition from the Occupation Forces, this remarkable film about the late 18th century artist marks the beginning of Mizoguchi's commitment to the theme of female emancipation: Utamaro himself is seen as the 'neutral' centre of a series of emotional intrigues which illustrate the corruption of Edo period morals and highlight the particular vulnerability of women. The film is also something of a meditation on the status of the artist; scriptwriter Yoshikata Yoda is on record as saying that he intended it as a reflection on Mizoguchi himself. In style it's much like Mizoguchi's later work, but less emotional, more formalised, more mysterious, and a great deal more daring aesthetically.