"Equinox flowers" is a typical Ozu film, treating the relation between parents and their children and the modernization of post war Japan.
This time the question is not if a daughter shall marry (as in "Late spring" (1949) and "Early summer" (1951)) but with whom. The two rival methods are arranged marriages and marriages out of love.
The lead character is very modern (marriages out of love) when it concerns the children of others, but far more conservative (arranged marriages) when it concerns his own daughter.
The strong point of the movie is that the lead character is nevertheless quite sympathetic. There is no question of hypocrisy, just of inconsistency prompted by the desire that his daughter marries the best man possible. After all we all know that it is easier to be idealistic when the subject has nothing to do with your own life!
When we learn more about the relationships within the family it becomes clear that inconsistency is sometimes combined with keeping up appearances. The wife may be the boss at home, as long as to the outside world the appearance of the "pater familias" is upheld.
"Equinox flowes" is a film from the latter period of Ozu's career and his first film in color. It is remarkable how well and carefull the color palette has been chosen.
This time the question is not if a daughter shall marry (as in "Late spring" (1949) and "Early summer" (1951)) but with whom. The two rival methods are arranged marriages and marriages out of love.
The lead character is very modern (marriages out of love) when it concerns the children of others, but far more conservative (arranged marriages) when it concerns his own daughter.
The strong point of the movie is that the lead character is nevertheless quite sympathetic. There is no question of hypocrisy, just of inconsistency prompted by the desire that his daughter marries the best man possible. After all we all know that it is easier to be idealistic when the subject has nothing to do with your own life!
When we learn more about the relationships within the family it becomes clear that inconsistency is sometimes combined with keeping up appearances. The wife may be the boss at home, as long as to the outside world the appearance of the "pater familias" is upheld.
"Equinox flowes" is a film from the latter period of Ozu's career and his first film in color. It is remarkable how well and carefull the color palette has been chosen.