A drunk geisha, a dead maid, and a priest who solves crimes? Sign me up.
A period mystery in which an unconventional priest exposes the truth behind the bizarre death of a maid in the shogun's harem. Kinuyo Tanaka stylishly plays a constantly intoxicated geisha in this all-star entertainment film.
Acting
Kinuyo Tanaka's gloriously unhinged drunk performance
Production
Lavish shogun's palace sets hiding ugly secrets
Direction
Itō's razor-sharp pacing in a locked-room mystery
Director
Daisuke Itō
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This film exemplifies the 'jidaigeki' boom of early 1950s Japan, when period mysteries offered safe allegories for contemporary corruption scandals.
Kinuyo Tanaka reportedly stayed tipsy between takes to maintain Onaka's physical comedy—director Itō insisted on single-take scenes.
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