A Story of Floating Weeds

About A Story of Floating Weeds

A Story of Floating Weeds is a 1934 silent film directed by Yasujirō Ozu. The film unfolds as a traveling theatre troupe visit a small town where their leader, Kihachi, once had a son. His son, Shinkichi, now lives there and believes Kihachi to be his uncle rather than his father. The tension and drama of the plot deepens with Kihachi’s romantic relationship with the actress Otoki and the revelation of his true relationship with Shinkichi.

Making / Production

Though the movie was a silent film, it was one of the last few to be made as the transition to talkies was already underway in 1934. Ozu worked to perfection in the silent realm, creating rich, visual storytelling that invited audiences to listen with their eyes.

Actors

• Takeshi Sakamoto: The actor played Kihachi, the leader of the theatre troupe. His brilliant depiction of a man torn between his past and present relationships provided a poignant emotional depth to the film.
• Choko Lida: Choko portrayed Shinkichi, believing the Kihachi to be his uncle and offering a stunning performance filled with innocence and confusion.
• Rieko Yagumo: As Otoki, she represented a novel aspect of Kihachi's life and conveyed impressive emotional complexity through her silent performance.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• A Story of Floating Weeds was later remade by Yasujirō Ozu as Floating Weeds in 1959, in color and with sound.
• Despite being a silent film, it is now considered one of Ozu's masterpieces.

Awards

The film, despite its brilliance, did not claim any official awards, perhaps due to its silence format during the transition to talkies.

Quotes

• "I want to be with you, regardless of the consequences."
• "I am like a floating weed, drifting in the water."

Music, Soundtrack

• Although the film was silent, it featured traditional Japanese music as its soundtrack, enhancing the narrative and creating atmospheric tension.