Story of a Prostitute (1969) directed by Seijun Suzuki
Viewed on July 9, 2019
Synopsis:
A young woman, Harumi, disappointed by a jilted lover, volunteers to be a comfort girl for Japanese soldiers fighting in China. She and a small group of women are expected to provide sexual services for an entire battalion of soldiers. The adjutant finds her attractive and uses the privileges of his rank to use her more than his men. He is abusive and controlling, both to her and to his aide. To get back at him, she finds ways to spend time with his aide more than with him. But she eventually falls in love with the aide.
The aide is sent into battle, and she goes after him. He is wounded in the trenches, passes out, and is captured. In captivity, he refuses to capitulate to his captors, even knowing that, if he returns to his own side, he will be court-marshaled for allowing himself to be captured. They escape, and indeed, he is tried and convicted, despite Harumi's pleas. At the execution, she throws herself in front of him, and they are both killed by the firing squad.
Commentary:
The film contains many of Suzuki's customary florid touches. In one scene, for example, Harumi gets into an argument with the aide, who slaps her. She runs into the courtyard and screams, but this part of the scene is shown in slow motion, so the sounds are deliberately out of sync with the visuals. Why? I don't know. Perhaps Suzuki was compensating for the inadequacies of his lead actress. Yumiko Nogawa gives a performance lacking in nuance, mostly consisting of over-the-top hysteria. I don't expect much psychological verisimilitude from Suzuki, but I need a little more than this.
Comments