Hero of the Red Light District

1960 1h 49m JA

🤯

8.7

MASTERPIECE

★8.7TMDB · 11

DramaHistory

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A successful textile industrialist from the provinces, who is beloved by his employees for his kindness, cannot find a wife because of a disfiguring birthmark on his face. Even the courtesans in Yoshiwara refuse to entertain him, until an indentured peasant prostitute, Tamarazu, takes the unsavoury assignment and treats him with brash tenderness.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Chiezo Kataoka
Sano Jiro
Yoshie Mizutani
Tamazuru
Isao Kimura
Minoru Chiaki
Jôsuke
Shinobu Chihara
Yaegaki
Kogiku Hanayagi
Iwahashi
Hiroshi Mizuno
Tsukie Matsuura

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Tomu Uchida
Writers: Yoshikata Yoda
Languages: Japanese
Countries: Japan

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

66 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Tomu Uchida, shot by Sadaji Yoshida. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Tamezō Mochizuki. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Shintarō Miyamoto shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Chiezo Kataoka and Yoshie Mizutani and Isao Kimura carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0187119 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

Only 11 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Tomu Uchida directs. Sadaji Yoshida behind the camera. Tamezō Mochizuki scores. Shintarō Miyamoto cuts. Produced in Japan. Dialogue in Japanese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

166 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Tomu Uchida, shot by Sadaji Yoshida. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Tamezō Mochizuki. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Shintarō Miyamoto shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Chiezo Kataoka and Yoshie Mizutani and Isao Kimura carry the top of the cast.
6IMDB entry: tt0187119 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
7Only 11 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.