The Downfall Of Osen

The Downfall Of Osen (1935) is Kenji Mizoguchi's last silent feature, which is one of the four films from the 30s that Donald Kirihara discusses in his book Patterns of Time: Mizoguchi and the 1930s (the others are Osaka Elegy, The Sisters of the Gion, and The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum). It is also the second shimpa based story he adapted from Kyoka Izumi,the film before in 1933 was The Water MAgician. This film is notable for the complex flashback structure that tells the story of Osen (Isuzu Yamada) and Sokichi (Daijiro Natsukawa). When they meet Sokichi is at his wits end is planing suicide and she stops him and brings her back to the house she shares with a gang of swindlers. She is being used as bait by the gang and Sokichi is abused by the members of the house and proves to meek as a mouse. They finally break free when they foil a plan to set up a monk and are set free. There is a powerful scene where Osen puts a razor blade in her mouth and says she would rather die than continue being a member of the gang. From this point on Osen supports Sokichi as he attends medical school. At first she sells her thing sot support them,but finally resorts to prostitution to support them. After she is arrested, Sokichi secures a medical doctor as his benefactor. Later we learn he has forgotten about Osen until fate brings them together on a train platform years later (where the flashback originally begins) where Osen is ravaged by syphilis and he is unable to do anything for her. There are some interesting effects, camera movements, and tracking scenes, however, there are no long one take scenes that Mizogcuhi will be known for in the 50s.