Reality, particularly for working women on their own, could be harsh back in the day. I know, because I witnessed it firsthand, on a daily basis. Being poor, my mother had to make a trek- on foot, because there was no money for bus fare- of 20 miles a day to and from a factory job that left her hunched from decades spent bent over a sewing machine. Watching WHEN A WOMAN ASCENDS THE STAIRS, I was reminded (again) of her selfless sacrifice- something that occurred on a daily basis for 50 years. This is the first Naruse film I've had the chance to see- but, based on this one, I fully intend to see more. His characters may exist in the "grey areas" just this side of the shadows, but they always seem to be in the ascension. It's satisfying to learn that there were filmmakers out there who had their cinematic stuff together enough to do films like this. They should be celebrated.
Review of When a Woman Ascends the Stairs
