The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum

Mizoguchi's harmonious yet unexpected compositions, his andante tempo and long takes, and his pellucid blocking produce sequences that resonate throughout the movie, often with material as mundane as the slicing of a watermelon.

I was struck not just by newly visible detail in the frame itself, but also the spectacularly effective nuances of performance from the entire cast, particularly the leads.

Throughout his career, Mizoguchi depicted the moral crisis of Japan's subjugation of women; here, he raises it to the most exalted realms of tragedy.

... a beautiful film. Mizoguchi directs in lovely long takes and subdued performances that suggests the anxiety and emotion under the public show of manners.