Tokyo Twilight
Ozu’s last film in black and white is a sombre drama about two sisters struggling with an absent mother, unwanted pregnancy and marital problems.
TOKYO TWILIGHT, steeped in winter melancholy, is perhaps the darkest of Ozu's masterly family portraits. It follows the parallel paths of two sisters and shows the devastating effects of domestic secrets on their lives. Takako is unhappy in her marriage to her alcoholic husband and has therefore moved back in with her father. Her younger sister, the rebellious Akiko, has drifted into Tokyo nightlife. When their mother unexpectedly returns to their lives, it sends shock waves through the already fragile family.
Thematically, TOKYO TWILIGHT is a sombre and dark affair, but nonetheless Ozu observes the relationship between parent and child with his typical calm and restraint.