15 May 2020

Scattered Clouds (Japan, 1967)

A husband and wife's love for each other and plans for the future are shattered when the man dies in a car accident. Misery is compounded when the man's parents disinherit his now widow and their former daughter-in-law. In the meanwhile, the chauffeur who accidentally killed a man is racked with guilt. In the melee, the driver and the widow begin to develop feelings for another.

Scattered Clouds (a.k.a. Two in the Shadow) explores the complex feelings following a tragedy and how we humans are not always driven by our minds but by our hearts even when it's not logical. I appreciated the very focused storyline and lack of unnecessary characters and side-plots, director Mikio Naruse (When a Woman Ascends the Stairs) knew exactly what he wanted to tell and he did it. Naruse is known for mostly making films centered around women, spotlighting their struggle and setbacks in a patriarchal society. Director Akira Kurosawa once described his films as "like a great river with a calm surface and a raging current in its depths."


Genre: Drama/Romance

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