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Director

Mikio Naruse

Japanese · b. August 20, 1905 – d. July 2, 1969
Profile

Mikio Naruse (成瀬 巳喜男, Naruse Mikio; 20 August 1905 – 2 July 1969) was a Japanese film director and screenwriter who directed 89 films spanning the period 1930 to 1967. Naruse is known for imbuing his films with a bleak and pessimistic outlook. He made primarily shōshimin-eiga ("common people drama") films with female protagonists, portrayed by actresses such as Hideko Takamine, Kinuyo Tanaka, and Setsuko Hara.

Thematic context drawn from Senses of Cinema. Read the full critical essay →
Filmography (87)
Scattered Clouds 1967
Hit and Run 1966
Stranger Within a Woman 1966
Yearning 1964
A Woman’s Story 1963
Her Lonely Lane 1962
Woman’s Status 1962
The Other Woman 1961
Evening Stream 1960
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs 1960
The Approach of Autumn 1960
Daughters, Wives and a Mother 1960
Whistling in Kotan 1959
Summer Clouds 1958
Anzukko 1958
Untamed 1957
Sudden Rain 1956
A Wife’s Heart 1956
Flowing 1956
The Kiss 1955
Floating Clouds 1955
Late Chrysanthemums 1954
Sound of the Mountain 1954
Older Brother, Younger Sister 1953
Husband and Wife 1953
Wife 1953
Okuni and Gohei 1952
Mother 1952
Lightning 1952
Repast 1951
White Beast 1950
Dancing Girl 1950
Ginza Cosmetics 1950
Conduct Report on Professor Ishinaka 1950
The Battle of Roses 1950
The Angry Street 1950
Delinquent Girl 1949
Spring Awakens 1947
Four Love Stories 1947
The Descendants of Taro Urashima 1946
Both You and I 1946
Until Victory Day 1945
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo 1945
This Happy Life 1944
The Way of Drama 1944
The Song Lantern 1943
Mother Never Dies 1942
Shanghai Moon 1941
Miss Hideko the Bus Conductress 1941
A Face From the Past 1941
Travelling Actors 1940
Sincerity 1939
The Whole Family Works 1939
Tsuruhachi and Tsurujiro 1938
Avalanche 1937
Learn From Experience 1937
A Woman’s Sorrows 1937
Morning’s Tree-Lined Street 1936
The Road I Travel With You 1936
Kumoemon Tochuken 1936
Three Sisters With Maiden Hearts 1935
Five Men in the Circus 1935
The Girl in the Rumour 1935
Wife, Be Like a Rose 1935
The Actress and the Poet 1935
Street Without End 1934
A Man With a Married Woman’s Hairdo 1933
Nightly Dreams 1933
Two Eyes 1933
Apart From You 1933
Crying to the Blue Sky 1932
Not Blood Relations 1932
Motheaten Spring 1932
Ladies, Be Careful of Your Sleeves 1932
Chocolate Girl 1932
Be Great! 1932
Now Don’t Get Excited 1931
Under the Neighbours’ Roof 1931
Fickleness Gets on the Train 1931
Dreams From the Second Floor 1931
Flunky, Work Hard 1931
The Strength of a Moustache 1931
Hard Times 1930
Love is Strength 1930
Mr and Mrs Swordplay 1930
Pure Love 1930
A Record of Shameless Newlyweds 1930