The Song Lantern

A self-absorbed young actor humiliates an elderly Noh performer, who then commits suicide. His act of cruelty compels his father to disown him, leading the once promising actor to a life on the streets. But his desire to win back the respect of his father and the affection of the dead actor's daughter pushes him toward a more noble existence. Naruse employed a delicately structured mise-en-scene in this family melodrama, which evokes the work of Josef von Sternberg.

Director: Mikio Naruse

Cast: Shōtarō Hanayagi, Eijirō Yanagi, Ichijirō Oya, Kan Ishii, Isuzu Yamada, Eiichi Seto, Masao Murata, Tamae Kiyokawa

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