Mizoguchi's limpid heartbreaker is also a fierce denunciation of the subjugation of women, the power of wealth, and Japan's unjust though splendid traditions.

It's a devastating journey, and for Mizoguchi, a direct, blunt statement of purpose.

The spiritually complete Life of Oharu represents the Holy Grail of Japanese cinema.

Mizoguchi's aesthetics frames Oharu's tragedy through the compositional control that is his formalist hallmark, avoiding sentimentality without losing traces of subtlety. [Full review in Spanish]