Heat Wave Island

Nobuko Otowa plays a former Seto Inland Sea island farmer who has moved to the mainland in order to find work, but instead ends up dead. The film begins with the discovery of her corpse, which leads to an investigation that uncovers the narcotics, prostitution, and murder in which many poor farmers had found themselves trapped after World War II.

Director: Kaneto Shindō

Cast: Nobuko Otowa, Jūzō Itami, Daigo Kusano, Ichirō Sugai, Tanie Kitabayashi, Hisano Yamaoka, Masanobu Oki, Mika Matsui

Audience-only score — full critic data not yet in the ReelXO vault.