"Orizuru Osen" ( The Downfall Of Osen ) is a silent film directed by Herr Kenji Mizoguchi in the year 1935 ( as is well-know among silent connoisseurs, Japan still produced silent film at mid 30's ). It's a remarkable film from his early, silent career that tells the story of Damen Osen, a prostitute who works for a powerful antiques dealer. Damen Osen starts a friendship with the inexperienced Herr Sokichi who is in Tokyo to attend a course in medicine. Sokichi is brought for inside of the house to work as a servant. When the antiques dealer is imprisoned, Osen and Sokichi run away and Damen Osen decides to help Sokichi to attend the college course by paying for his studies
with her body.
Herr Mizoguchi tells this sad story about the miserable life of two poor souls in flashback and with elegant camera movements so characteristic in his early period. He begins and ends the film with the two main characters in a railroad station ( it is well-known that the Japanese directors likes to film trains as much this German Count likes go to soirées ). Neither knows the other and they meet in an accidental way. Sokichi, a reputable doctor, will recognize Osen and an unexpected revelation will be for him even a painful fact. The circle is completed by Herr Mizoguchi with a perfect, beautiful but disturbing finale.
Damen Osen and Herr Sokichi are two helpless souls ( developed by Mizoguchi's mastery of physical and psychological human portraits ) exposed to unscrupulous people in grinding surroundings ( developed by Mizoguchi's masterful characteristic visual style ). The two don't need love itself ( or at least they have enough comforting each other ) but rather protection in order to overcome so many setbacks. It's a story of pure, idealized love.
In the whole film there is a sense of the futility of life, no time for hopes or redemptions for their main characters, but thanks to Mizoguchi visual poetry this human tragedy has inside a bizarre, sad beauty hard to grasp.
And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this Germanic Count must to brighten up himself by imposing serious German traditional will.
Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien
Herr Mizoguchi tells this sad story about the miserable life of two poor souls in flashback and with elegant camera movements so characteristic in his early period. He begins and ends the film with the two main characters in a railroad station ( it is well-known that the Japanese directors likes to film trains as much this German Count likes go to soirées ). Neither knows the other and they meet in an accidental way. Sokichi, a reputable doctor, will recognize Osen and an unexpected revelation will be for him even a painful fact. The circle is completed by Herr Mizoguchi with a perfect, beautiful but disturbing finale.
Damen Osen and Herr Sokichi are two helpless souls ( developed by Mizoguchi's mastery of physical and psychological human portraits ) exposed to unscrupulous people in grinding surroundings ( developed by Mizoguchi's masterful characteristic visual style ). The two don't need love itself ( or at least they have enough comforting each other ) but rather protection in order to overcome so many setbacks. It's a story of pure, idealized love.
In the whole film there is a sense of the futility of life, no time for hopes or redemptions for their main characters, but thanks to Mizoguchi visual poetry this human tragedy has inside a bizarre, sad beauty hard to grasp.
And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this Germanic Count must to brighten up himself by imposing serious German traditional will.
Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien