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The Life of Oharu (Saikaku ichidai onna) (1952)

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Average Rating: 8.8/10
Reviews Counted: 8
Fresh: 8 | Rotten: 0

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Release Date: Apr 3, 1952 Wide

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Average Rating: 3.9/5
User Ratings: 1,186

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Movie Info

Life of Oharu features Kinuyo Tanaka in the title role. Oharu is a middle-aged prostitute in 17th century Japan. As she prays before a statue of Buddha, Oharu reviews her past. Her road to degradation began when, as a teenager, she disgraced her family by falling in love with a samurai (Toshiro Mifune). Oharu became the mistress of a prince, who cast her off after she bore his son. She was then sold into prostitution by her father, and thus began a catch-as-catch-can existence alternating

G, 2 hr. 16 min.

Art House & International, Drama

Directed By: Kenji Mizoguchi

In Theaters: Apr 3, 1952 Wide

On DVD: May 13, 1997

Cast

Kinuyo Tanaka
Oharu
Toshiro Mifune
Katsunosuke
Ichiro Sugai
Shonzaemon Oharu's Fath...
Yuriko Hamada
Otsubone Yoshioka
Chieko Higashiyama
Myokai
Daisuke Kat�
Tasaburo Hishiya
Masao Mishima
Taisaburo Hishiya
Kikue Mori
Myokai the Old Nun
Noriko Sengoku
Sakurai
Masao Shimizu
Kikuno Koji
Takashi Shimura
Old Man
Eitaro Shindo
Kohei Sasaya
Eijir� Yanagi
Forger
Jukichi Uno
Yakichi Senya
Akira Oizumi
Fumikichi Sasaya's Frie...
Kyoko Kusajima
Sodegaki
Toranosuke Ogawa
Yataemon Isobei
Sadako Sawamura
Owasa

Critic Reviews for The Life of Oharu (Saikaku ichidai onna)

All Critics (13) | Top Critics (1) | Fresh (8) | Rotten (0) | DVD (1)

Though the film is wrenching like few others, this is only because it is also a masterpiece.

February 3, 2008 Full Review Source: Antagony & Ecstasy

| Comment

Tim Brayton

Antagony & Ecstasy

... brilliantly realized without moralizing.

September 11, 2006 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

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

August 1, 2004 Full Review Source: Slant Magazine

| Comment

Ed Gonzalez

Slant Magazine

A beautiful, harrowing portrayal of female servitude and degradation in seventeenth century Japan.

May 28, 2004 Full Review Source: Movie Gazette

| Comment

Anton Bitel

Movie Gazette Source: Movie Gazette

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Audience Reviews for The Life of Oharu (Saikaku ichidai onna)

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'Life of Oharu' is a stunning feature film, one which could never be matched in todays cinema. Kinuyo Tanaka takes on the daunting task of portraying a tragic, complex and engrossing character. Oharu spans from the ages of 18-50 and Tanaka manages to pull off convincing performances at all these ages. What makes this

June 5, 2006

Luke Baldock

Super Reviewer

After recently seeing "Sansho the Bailiff" and the spectacular "Ugetsu," I was disappointed with Mizoguchi's "The Life of Oharu." Elegantly made but tedious, it's an overlong, episodic tale of a good-hearted woman who is born into privilege but eventually becomes a common prostitute (alas, not even a successful one).

March 24, 2011