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Crossroads

Name: Crossroads
Director: Teinosuke Kinugasa
Released: 1928
Duration: 74 min

Representation Score

5.2/10

Fair

1928

Director

Teinosuke Kinugasa

Runtime

74 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Kinugasa’s film excels by focusing on character development rather than rigid social structures. It avoids melodrama by examining disability and gendered sacrifices to explore psychological depth. While the film is culturally uniform and adheres to the standards of 1928, it avoids being a passive period piece. Characters face difficult moral choices that propel the narrative forward.

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Category Breakdown

Does Crossroads have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows traditional assumptions about straight relationships and doesn't include any LGBTQ+ identities or dynamics.

How does Crossroads portray gender?

Fair

The film features Okiku, who actively drives the plot by making decisions to help her family. She challenges traditional gender roles by taking control of her life.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Crossroads?

Fair

The film showcases a culturally consistent Japanese cast, avoiding Western casting practices and providing an authentic depiction of the time period.

How does Crossroads represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story highlights the tension between personal ethics and community obligations, portraying traditional institutions like families and brothels as sources of significant pressure.

Does Crossroads include disability representation?

Good

Rikiya's sudden blindness drives the plot, exploring the psychological and socioeconomic impacts of losing sight. The film delves into the changing dynamics within the household.

Present on Screen

Okiku challenges traditional gender roles by actively driving the plot.
The film provides a detailed exploration of blindness rather than relying on melodramatic clichés.
The production accurately represents the Japanese social fabric of the era.

Limited or Absent

The film lacks any representation of LGBTQ+ identities or diverse gender dynamics.
The cast is culturally uniform, lacking diverse racial or ethnic backgrounds.
The film operates within a traditional framework that assumes everyone is straight.

Official Synopsis

After falling in love with a courtesan, Rikiya is blinded by ash during a fight in a brothel. Believing the blindness permanent and his opponent dead, Rikiya goes back home to his sister. Okiku, desperate to protect her brother who thinks himself a murderer, wants to sacrifice herself for him and become a prostitute to pay for Rikiya's treatment.

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