rxw
this is mainly a story about a matchmaking sister, the benignly scheming youngest of three. the film is, secondarily, a by-the-numbers comedy of manners (it being Japanese -- specifically post WW2 -- it can't help but be informed by correct social behavior). my eye, trained by late 20th century movies, found it a little slow to start, but the film picked up in the second reel.each sister found a match (or, in the case of the eldest, a hint of a match). the story had some subterfuge and false starts, which contribute to the dramatic tension. each shot is composed very well, and the entire movie is framed by pastoral scenes and the family practicing noh drama. it suggests that while individuals may come and go (to the big city, to love, out of love) nature and family endure.it's certainly worth seeing, if only because it's well done and rather obscure.
