Ozu's Floating Weeds review

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A traveling Kabuki theatre troupe comes to a small coastal town of Japan. The troupe parades through the narrow by lanes inviting people. Children follow the actors. A clown like character distributes pamphlets to the shopkeepers and townsmen while ogling at their women.

This is how Japanese Master Yasujiro Ozu's one of the final films “Floating Weeds” opens. Story is set in a laidback seaside town. Where “Floating Weeds,” a traveling theatre company arrives.

Ozu lyrically cuts to the sea and surroundings. Camera remains mostly static and movement is restricted within the frame. One of the memorable shots is that of a lighthouse that seems floating in the sea. Ozu sticks to his signature knee-level camera.

Floating Weeds has human drama aplenty. The master of the Kabuki troupe Komajuro (Ganjiro Nakamura) rediscovers his old flame Oyoshi (Haruko Sugimura), who has an illegitimate teenage son Kiyoshi (Hiroshi Kawaguchi) from him. Oyoshi has told her son that Komajuro is his uncle.

The actor wants to spend time with his illegitimate son that irks his new mistress, the lead actress Sumiko (Machiko Kyô). In order to take revenge she pays a young actress to seduce her master’s son.

Floating Weeds has multiple sub plots. The manager of the theatre company disappears with the funds and the company is broke. While other actors of the theatre company seem busy all the while trying to lure townwomen. Audience also seem reluctant to watch their play. This leads to disintegration of the company, however the way Ozu looks at it it is both touching and unsentimental.

Floating Weeds is one of the few color films that Ozu made. Here we get a glimpse of the master’s brilliant sense of composition. He uses the ambiance as well as interiors to create a unique dramatic effect.

The plot centers around themes like love, betrayal, revenge and reconciliation. It also delves into human relations. Ozu’s underlined theme seems to be that life goes on... Floating Weeds ends on an optimistic note. It conveys a sense of continuity of life amidst all odds‘¦