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That Night's Wife

Name: That Night's Wife
Director: Yasujirō Ozu
Released: 1930
Duration: 66 min

Representation Score

6.2/10

Good

1930

TV-MA

Director

Yasujirō Ozu

Runtime

66 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Yasujirō Ozu’s early work examines the tension between systemic economic failure and personal survival during the Great Depression. The film questions simplistic morality by focusing on a crime driven by the need to preserve the family. While the film does not feature modern markers of diversity, it provides a nuanced view of how economic pressures can destabilize social structures. The narrative highlights the breakdown of stability caused by socioeconomic stress rather than individual misconduct. Ultimately, the film serves as a historical study of Japanese social identity, using a domestic crisis to critique the economic systems that force individuals into desperate, illegal actions.

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Category Breakdown

Does That Night's Wife have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include any non-straight relationships or queer narratives. It follows the traditional social structures of 1930s Japanese cinema.

How does That Night's Wife portray gender?

Fair

The story revolves around a father's desire to protect his daughter, reinforcing traditional patriarchal roles. Economic hardship, however, threatens to disrupt the stable family environment.

How racially and ethnically diverse is That Night's Wife?

Fair

With a culturally homogeneous cast, the film serves as a historical record of Japanese society during a period of change.

How does That Night's Wife represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative challenges conventional morality by presenting robbery as a response to systemic economic issues. Family survival takes precedence over legal and property rights.

Does That Night's Wife include disability representation?

Fair

A child's serious illness serves as the main catalyst for the plot. There is a risk that the illness is used merely as a device to drive the crime narrative.

Present on Screen

Offers a sophisticated critique of how systemic economic failure affects individual morality and family stability.
Provides a valuable historical perspective on Japanese social identity and domestic life during the Great Depression.

Limited or Absent

Relies on traditional patriarchal roles, where the male protagonist acts as the primary protector of the family.
Uses a child's illness primarily as a plot device rather than a nuanced exploration of health or disability.
Lacks representation of non-straight relationships or diverse racial perspectives.

Official Synopsis

In Depression-era Japan, a man commits a robbery to save his critically ill daughter and escapes with the funds, but complications arise.

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