Utamaro and His Five Women

Saw Utamaro and His Five Women (thanks, Basil!) It was a Japanese film from the 40s that I largely let get away from me. It follows the (probably) fictional life of Utamaro, a famous wood-block artist. He is known for his sensual portraits of women. In the film he draws one woman after another, each woman's portrait leaving a mark on the subject in some way. The woman which he most dramatically effects has his work tattooed into her skin. In a modern film, these women would be introduced to the camera in very comprehensible, hand-holding ways. Unfortunately, I needed my hand held a bit for this film. The five women are difficult enough to keep straight, never mind their lovers, their families, their rivalries. The film is difficult, not least for its plot.

So, with this in mind, I nervously embark on analysis of the film. The film is heavy with rich themes. The portraits of the women show them more beautiful and desirable than the women ever thought of themselves. They gather the strength from these portraits to become more in control of their own lives. Usually this control manifests in really going after the guy they like, but this is the 40s and we can't have our entire feminist cake just yet. There is also interesting observations to be made about Utamaro's relationships with the women and an artists relationship with their subject, their work, and society at large. At one point Utamaro annoys a shogun who places him in handcuffs for 50 days. This is near the end of the film and betrayals and revelations are flying fast. He is stuck in the midst of all of the chaos, ineffectively shouting "oh god, I want to draw!"

The film is fairly busy, so don't watch it too tired (as I did) and as I say, the characters rush about in intricate graph structures. It's a film that needs a second viewing to really understand, but alas, I will selfishly move on.