A Hen in the Wind (1948)

 Yasujiro Ozu's "A Hen in the Wind"

What struck me most about Yasujiro Ozu's 1948 film "A Hen in the Wind" was how much the structure and themes of the film seemed emblematic of a Kenji Mizoguchi film. Themes revolving around women and their precarious predicaments in Japanese social structures. I've read in some places that many even consider this Ozu's darkest film.

The film centers on a mother in post-war Japan as she awaits the return of her husband from war. The only problem is that, once he returns, she must confess to him that she was forced to prostitute herself to get money for their sick child. Upon hearing this news, the husband goes into a fit of rage and despair, ultimately throwing his wife down the stairs. The two reconcile afterwards, but it is clear that the shame and pain of their mistakes remain. 

I feel as though "A Hen in the Wind" is an apt title for the film, as it revolves primarily around the struggle of women in the post-war Japanese environment. Obviously, the film's themes aren't exclusive to women, as the husband must go through his own growing pains as well. But, it is our central protagonist who must endure the most suffering. As detailed by Mizoguchi in his own films, like his 1936 films "Osaka Elegy" and "Sisters of the Gion," women are placed in a very precarious situation when economics becoming increasingly restrained. Like our protagonist, many women are forced to go into prostitution just to provide income for their families. The problem with this is the social punishment imposed on these women and the shame and disgrace everyone expects them to feel. It's a lose-lose situation for these women. 

Overall, I thought this was a good film. Perhaps not high up on my list of Ozu films thus far. But, it does fit neatly into the post-war Japanese cinema at the time that was taking off in the late 1940s. Japan, after its defeat in the war, was in a state of rebuild. Not just physically, but emotionally and psychologically. Films like "A Hen in the Wind" tapped into the psychological struggle faced by many who had to reconcile with the discomfort and trauma they had to go through during the period. Everyone was in a state of having to come to terms with uncomfortable truths. Perhaps the only solution is to grow from them, not wallow in the pain from them.