Apparently, this title is a mistranslation of the original Japanese title which would more closely translate to A Who’s Who of the Backstreets, which, I think, fits better. Ozu’s first post-war film, after a pause of five years where he was sent to Singapore to make a propaganda film (which never finished on purpose), Record of a Tenement Gentleman is really the story of Japan as it picks itself back up after defeat in war. It completely sidesteps the war part except for a couple of mentions...
Published on June 12, 2025 04:00