Street Without End

"Even today, feudalistic notions of 'family' crush the pure love of young people in Japan."

A tad melodramatic early on, but eventually settles into a story about love across class lines with a refreshing, progressive message. The quiet strength of the character of the young waitress (Setsuko Shinobu) as she endures her wealthy mother and sister-in-law's taunts and eventually stands up for herself was admirable for the period. It's part of a larger theme, modernization, and how some changes should be embraced, like letting people marry for love.

Naruse puts images of working girls in western style hair and dress next to traditional images like Mt. Fuji, and lets his camera rove over the changes taking place to Tokyo. His creative use of the camera and fast edits give the film a vibrant feeling. Adding another layer to the story were the young woman's friends (Chiyoko Katori and Shinichi Himori) trying their hand at the movie industry. Look for the brief clip of The Smiling Lieutenant with Miriam Hopkins and Maurice Chevalier too.