It's pretty obvious when the film begins that it's one of Yasujirô Ozu's newest films. That's because unlike almost all of his movies, this one is filmed in color. In fact, it's his first color film. Like other Ozu films it features a camera positioned very low--like the cameraman is sitting on the floor. It's odd but works in Ozu's films because of the traditional Japanese tables and futons--all very close to the floor. The plot unfolds very slowly and the film also is a domestic drama--about a daughter who may be marrying and moving out of her home. This is a very common theme--young people moving to adulthood and the sort of conflicts this creates as well as conflicts between traditional and modern values . And, like so many of his later films, it features some of the same old reliable actors. One thing you've gotta say about Ozu--when he found a formula that worked, he REALLY stuck with it. While his films are adored and are often considered masterpieces, there is a strong sense of déjà vu as you watch them!

This is the story of a middle-aged man and his family. Early in on the film, you learn that the father and mother had an arranged marriage--something very common in Japan up until recently. You can tell that Dad was not thrilled by this and he even likes the idea of people picking their own spouses. Yet, when his own daughter wants to marry a man of her choosing, he refuses to give consent. He's adamant--even though he agrees with the concept of allowing your grown children to run their own lives--provided, of course, they are not HIS children! This is MILDLY humorous (it's cute the way the father gets manipulated repeatedly) and a nice critique of post-war Japan--when families, values and norms were all in flux. In other words, this man's conflicts were a mirror of conflicts in Japan as a whole--the old Japan and the new, and much less tradition-bound Japan.

While this is a beautifully made film, you should be aware that like so many of Ozu's films, it has a very leisurely pace. My advice is although he was a wonderful filmmaker, you might first try some more approachable directors films--such as Kurosawa or a Zatoichi film. That's because Western audiences often balk at such slow pacing (particularly here in hyperactive America). If you do watch it, brew a pot of tea or coffee to help you stay focused--it's worth it, as it's a sweet and exceptional film.

'Equinox Flower' is such a lovely title for a film, isn't it? Have noticed this with all of Yasujiro Ozu's oeuvre, all of his films having very poetic and appealing titles that makes one want to see the film in question straightaway. On top of that, Ozu was a mighty fine director. One of the best of his generation and a big influence in cinema, while his best films are reasons why foreign films appeal to me so much. His style is a distinctive one that may take patience to get into but it does fascinate.

While not quite one of Ozu's primary masterpieces, 'Equinox Flower' struck me upon watching as a great film and towards the top end when ranking his filmography. It has everything that makes his work so appealing and demonstrative enough of what made him such a great director. The subject and themes are familiar ones for Ozu, being a director that used them a lot in his work, but generally this didn't strike me as a problem because he was near-unparallelled in how he explored them. Hardly any other director really made the subject of family as human, intimate or as emotionally investable as Ozu. 'Equinox Flower' is just one of the examples at how good he was at this.

It takes a bit of time to get going and to the point (even for a director that took a deliberate approach to his stories unfolding the film does feel a little too slow and very slight to begin with),but really do do your best to stick with it. Because it really does become a lot more compelling and throughout it is vintage Ozu all the way.

Ozu's direction as usual is meticulous in its detail and subtle. The first of his films to be shot in colour, 'Equinox Flower' is one of his most beautiful-looking later films, the usual camera techniques are there and as clever and intimate as ever but with the extra benefit of being in lush colour. The music is again nostalgic and sometimes hypnotic, with a playful touch at times that fits the film's tone ideally.

Like a vast majority of his other films, 'Equinox Flower' is beautifully written. There is nothing cold about it, it's poetic in flow, very thoughtful and with a nice playful yet still gentle humour and emotion without being sentimental. The story once it gets going is so human and charming, it is Ozu at perhaps his most playful but the melancholic edge is genuinely poignant and attention to character development and their relationships are remarkably rich in detail and relatable. The acting is typically great, particularly Shin Saburi and Ineka Arima. Both suitably determined but in an understated way.

To conclude, great. 9/10

Businessman Wataru (Shin Saburi) is continually approached by his friends and co-workers for advice and help, especially when it concerns potential marriages for their daughters. He is approached by Mikami (Ozu regular Chisu Ryu) who is concerned that his daughter has gone off with a man from a lesser family with a low-paid job. He agrees to meet her and try to talk some sense into her. One day at work, he is approached by a man named Maniguchi (Keiji Sada) who asks for his daughter's hand in marriage. Wataru is horrified that his daughter Setsuko (Ineko Arima) has been seeing this man without his knowledge, and insists that marrying him is not the right decision.

Japanese master is again on familiar ground with this gentle drama. Again, he explores themes of family, and change in a post-war Japanese society. Wataru is not a traditionalist by nature - he is generally quite open-minded, but only when it comes to his friend's families. When he has tea with one of Setsuko's friends, she explains how her mother is obsessed with finding her a match with a man with a decent job and background. Wataru is agreed that her mother is stuck in her ways. It becomes clear that Wataru is simply a father who cannot let go of his daughter. It's a sentiment that anyone, even those without children, can relate to.

Ozu does make a point of showing the increasing differences in attitudes between the generations. The parents are children of war. Wataru and his wife Kiyoko (Kinuyo Tanaka) discuss memories of being in the bomb shelters. Ozu doesn't want us to see the elders as narrow-minded and old-fashioned, but instead as people who grew up with danger and death all around them, and clearly hold protection and security in high regard, and for good reason. However, Ozu does show the women of Equinox Flower as the stronger sex, and the biggest advocates for change. Kiyoko tries to change Wataru's mind, but realises that this is a decision he will make on his own.

The film is full of Ozu's usual traits, including the usual gorgeous cinematography - and this is his first to be shot in colour. His camera is ever-still, watching from low angles, usually through doorways. He is offering his audience a window into these people's lives, and allows them to give their naturalistic courtesies as they would if no-one was watching. It is a delight watching a true master at work, and it's amazing how he finds fresh and fascinating ways to explore similar themes. I've never seen any of his films that haven't been anything less than brilliant, and I'm still to see his widely celebrated Tokyo Story (1953). An absolute delight.

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