Every Night Dreams

This was a Naruse I didn't enjoy much. It's a sad story, but in a way I didn't get connected all that well with the main characters so it was limited how emotionally attached i got to their troubles. Still it's a typical Japanese movie from this time period, but I wouldn't say Naruse was on top of his game yet.

Moving from melancholy to downright depressing, Naruse again dealing his favorite topic: a woman with financial troubles. Naruse's developed his photographic chops, still a few too many crazy zooms but a much greater sense of thoughtful, expressive composition. The emphasis on money would of course be relevant to a Depression-era audience, and is a theme that would frequently recur in his work. A bummer of a film, but one with some strong qualities, and once again some very fine performances.

"Somewhat stylistically unhinged, yet the constant push-ins and frenetic cutting feel more to the psychological point than comparitvely showier Naruse works from the '30s." - Keith Uhlich