Late Spring, 1949 - ★★★★½

Ozu really is the master of quiet contemplation. On a day where the world feels like it is falling apart, it’s wonderful to see a film where people still live despite a world that has fallen.

It’s clear that this father-daughter relationship blossomed and strengthened through the post-war hardships.

And yet… do we know what comes next for Noriko? Perhaps if she had married her actual love (her father’s assistant) I think we’d feel clearer. But her husband is faceless. Her wedding an event we can’t perceive.

In a way this is a great compliment to the Phoenician Scheme. The father-daughter relationship is one that’s always fraught with questions of legacy, mortality and responsibilities.