Title: Late Autumn
Director: Ozu Yasujiro
Year: 1960
Genre: Drama
Format Reviewed: Criterion Eclipse DVD
Remember the last time you just walked through the park without anything on your mind? That’s about what I felt while watching Late Autumn. There is a tenderness and light-heartedness to the plot and pacing. Late Autumn doesn’t try to hit you with a huge build-up of anticipation and huge disappointment. Following Equinox Flower’s ending of acceptance, Late Autumn continues Ozu’s tone of forgiveness in family conflicts. This leads to a not-very-dramatic drama. In fact, I enjoyed the comedy more than the actual drama of Late Autumn.
The characters are once again what makes this Ozu film so enjoyable. Like Ozu’s other family dramas, Late Autumn has his usual cast of characters: middle-aged and youthful salarymen (and salarywomen), widowed wives, and the rest. The salarymen are chummy and have their usual set of silly sayings, mocking their hostess at one point, and laughing at their own antics when their plots fail. The men act like boys in many ways, and they especially remind me of the boys from I Was Born, But….
The main cause of their plot is Ayako, who refuses to marry until her widowed mother re-marries. Not standing the thought of her lonely mother after marrying away, she continues to deny the thought of marriage even after finding her mate. Ayako is a dynamic character. She starts out very traditional and pleasing to all, but when she suspects her mother of hiding secrets of remarrying, she quickly becomes the spoiled brat that youth is portrayed as in Tokyo Twilight. One can’t help but change your opinion of her as her emotions sway her to extremes.
Late Autumn combines several elements of Ozu’s other films together, and doesn’t try to really hit any emotion too hard. One is free to enjoy the comedy, drama, or just simple daily-life of old Tokyo which Ozu does the best. Because of this mish-mash of elements, I felt that the movie played quite smoothly from start to finish, and is an easy watch. There are a few insights into life and deep thoughts, but nothing that will bog you down or really appreciate more than a subtle reference. Until the last scene, there isn’t all that much reflection. And it’s fine that way.
Rating: 4 /5
