It seems that the silent film I Was Born, But... (1932), from Eclipse Series 10: Silent Ozu) marks a departure for celebrated director Yasujiro Ozu. It was his first social commentary picture. He had intended it as a comedy about children, but it became a dark film about adults, compromise, and survival. That being said it does have an episodic quality to it, but by far the most powerful episode revolves around the discovery of by the salaryman protagonist Yoshii's sons, that their father has a subservient position in society and must kowtow to another neighborhood child's father who is his superior at the office. This is displayed in that superior's home movies where he goads Yoshii to mug for the camera and the boys are aghast by it and go on a hunger strike after throwing tantrums. In the end it is peacefully resolved among the family members, but difficult lessons about society and the world have been learned.
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