It is a classic Japanese film for Walmart haters. The survival of the neighborhood market that kept war widow Reiko Morita connected to her in-laws is threatened by the arrival of a new fangled supermarket in their sleepy backwater town. As is often the case, economic uncertainty exposes deeper emotional turmoil for the Morita family in Mikio Naruse’s Yearning (trailer here), which screens this Friday in New York at the Asia Society as part of their ongoing Japanese Cinema 1960s film series—and take note: admission is free.It is not exactly a forbidden love, but it is certainly frowned upon. Twenty-five year-old Koji has significant feelings for his older brother’s widow. Chucking in an office job in Tokyo, he returns home to be a mahjong and pachinko playing lay-about, simply to be near her. However, she remains eternally faithful to his brother’s memory, selflessly dedicating herself to his family’s market. Unfortunately, the price-cutting supermarket upsets the status quo. The married Morita sisters would like to sell out, but that leaves the delicate question of what becomes of their sister-in-law Reiko?
In a sense, Yearning is a grittier version of an Ozu domestic drama, featuring a dutiful, self-denying daughter-in-law as its protagonist. Like Tokyo Story, it also subtly addresses the lingering pain of the war for the many widows left behind. Unlike most Ozu films though, Yearning deals with sexual themes in franker terms and is more judgmental of its characters.
Even if she is his sister-in-law, it is hard to blame Morita for falling for Reiko when she is played by the legendary Hideko Takamine. Strikingly beautiful yet desperately vulnerable, her heartrending performance is on-par with her celebrated star turn in Naruse’s masterwork, When a Woman Ascends the Stairs. Along with Setsuko Hara, Takamine eclipses the stars of golden age Hollywood
for their timeless appeal. In contrast, as brother Koji, Yûzô Kayama’s glowering petulance often comes across as distractingly self-defeating.Yearning is already a tragedy before viewers even know its full backstory. It becomes ever more so, as per the dictates of fate. Again, the exquisitely sensitive Takamine is truly haunting throughout the film. An undeniable classic, Yearning screens this Friday (12/3) at the Asia Society and admission is free.
