Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi • 1952 • Japan
Life's unfairness to women, and the sad lot of a prostitute (Kinuyo Tanaka) in medieval Japan seldom looked more seductively lyrical or compelling as in Kenji Mizoguchi's The Life of Oharu. Based on a 17th century play, the movie also carried added resonances with modern audiences in the hands of the filmmaker, who was an outspoken advocate of women's rights.
Directed by Max Ophuls • 1955 • France, West Germany
LOLA MONTÈS is a visually ravishing, narratively daring dramatization of the life of the notorious courtesan and showgirl, played by Martine Carol. With his customary cinematographic flourish and, for the first time, vibrant color, Max Ophul...
Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi • 1956 • Japan
For his final film, Mizoguchi brought a lifetime of experience to bear on the heartbreaking tale of a brothel full of women whose dreams are constantly being shattered by the socioeconomic realities surrounding them. Set in Tokyo's Red Light District (t...
Directed by Jean-Luc Godard • 1962 • France
Vivre sa vie was a turning point for Jean-Luc Godard and remains one of his most dynamic films, combining brilliant visual design with a tragic character study. The lovely Anna Karina, Godard's greatest muse, plays Nana, a young Parisian who aspires to...
