Ugetsu
dir. Kenji Mizoguchi · 1953
The pursuit of ambition can lead to the loss of what truly matters in life.
Plot
In 16th century Japan, peasants Genjuro and Tobei sell their earthenware pots to a group of soldiers in a nearby village, in defiance of a local sage's warning against seeking to profit from warfare. Genjuro's pursuit of both riches and the mysterious Lady Wakasa, as well as Tobei's desire to become a samurai, run the risk of destroying both themselves and their wives, Miyagi and Ohama.
Why watch
"Ugetsu" immerses viewers in a hauntingly beautiful tale of ambition and desire set against the backdrop of war-torn Japan, where the ethereal intermingles with the tragic. This film is a profound meditation on the moral ambiguities of human aspiration and the fragility of dreams, leaving audiences contemplating the costs of their own pursuits.
Talking points
- the impact of ambition on personal relationships
- the intersection of desire and moral integrity
- the role of the supernatural in human experience
- reflections on historical class struggles