Tokyo Twilight (1957 Film)

Tokyo Twilight, known in Japanese as Tokyo boshoku (東京暮色), is a 1957 Japanese dramatic film directed by Yasujiro Ozu. The film is noted for its grim and somber tone, contrasting with many of Ozu's more domestic dramas, and explores the disintegration of a family in post-war Japan.

Promotional image for Tokyo Twilight — Promotional visual for the 1957 film Tokyo Twilight.

Production and Release

The film was directed by Yasujiro Ozu, who also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Kogo Noda. Cinematography was handled by Yuuharu Atsuta. It was released in Japan on April 30, 1957. The production has a runtime of 140 minutes, is spoken in Japanese, and was produced in Japan.

Plot Summary

The narrative focuses on a struggling family experiencing severe distress. The married elder sister leaves her abusive and alcoholic husband, returning to her father's home with her child. Meanwhile, her younger sister faces an unwanted pregnancy after being abandoned by her boyfriend and undergoes an abortion. These trials unfold alongside the revelation of a deeply guarded family secret.

Cast

Ineko Arima as Akiko Sugiyama
Setsuko Hara as Takako Numata
Chishu Ryu as Shukichi Sugiyama
Isuzu Yamada as Kisako Soma
Kamatari Fujiwara as Noodle vendor
Nobuo Nakamura as Sakae Aiba
Kinzo Shin as Yasuo Numata
Haruko Sugimura as Shigeko Takeuchi
Teiji Takahashi as Noburo Kawaguchi
Masami Taura as Kenji Kimura
Sô Yamamura as Seki Sekiguchi