简介：InhisreviewofFeminineMelancholyinKinemaJunpo,criticMizumachiSeijipraisesIrie'sperformanceasthebestofhertalkiecareer.However,heisverycriticalofthefilmitself,whichheseesasatypicalstoryofawomaninanunhappymarriage.Heisnotsympathetictowardtheheroine'spatientsufferinganddescribesthenaggingmother-in-lawasa"hackneyedtheme."Naruse'sdetailed"documentation"ofHiroko'sroleinthehouseholdisdismissedasa"manneristicobsession,"andMizumachisuggeststhatthedirectorishidingbehind"theshadowofthematerials."Mostseverely,hecriticizesNarusefor"abandoninghisauthorityasanauteur"byresortingto"shinpa-tragedy,"whichisseenasacapitulationtoaformthathas"wieldedapowerfulholdovertheimaginationofthemasses."AlthoughMizumachinotesthatNarusehasprobedinto"thedeepestrecessofthefemalepsyche,"hedoesn'trecognizethisasthefilm'sachievement,perhapsbecauseheislookingforsomethingelsefromthedirector.HisreviewrevealsthedifficultiesNarusefacedinmaintaininghis"auteurstatus"whilemovingwiththetidesofpopularculture.ForMizumachi,thecharacterofYokoisthemosttypicalNaruseheroine,perhapsbecausesheisdraggeddownbyherdelinquentlover;however,inretrospect,itisevidentthatHiroko'stenacioussurvivalofadversecircumstanceslooksforwardtoNaruse'spostwarheroines.…