Nippon konchûki (1963)

 

Life story of a woman born in poverty trying to succeed. Through her many schemes, she faces her ups and downs in a cyclical nature, fueled mostly by self-interest.

The biography of one woman is clearly set as an allegory for the development of Japanese society in the 20th century,  unsparingly showing her many unsuccessful attempts to cope with life and her often shockingly hard downfalls; made in a semi-documentary style, a large cast of good performers and an eventful narrative.

NB: The last scene is a brilliant summary of the film's story:  the woman returns by foot to her mountain village walking or rather stumbling up a stony path wearing a pair of geta (Japanese wooden footwear resembling flip-flops). One of the shoes breaks, so she takes the geta off walks on bare-footed.