Tea Over Rice
The film's main character, Taeko, played brilliantly by Kogure Michio, is at odds with her husband, her life, her friends, and, most of all, herself. In the absence of children, her husband, whose silence and patience Taeko takes for stupidity, serves as an excellent target for Taeko to vent her dissatisfaction with herself and her life on him. She lies to her husband, mocks him with her girlfriends, calls him a blockhead, considers him an uncultured country bumpkin. She needs resorts, theaters, first-class travel, social life. Life with her husband seems boring to her, devoid of spice - that, apparently, chic and romance that she, the daughter of a wealthy family, apparently imagined when she entered into marriage.
Her husband, Shin, the head of the machinery department of a big corporation, is an extremely level-headed and calm man, unlike his bored wife who strives for unnecessary drama, he seeks peace and quiet in the family, and therefore tries to avoid conflicts with Taeko, does not want to argue with her and pretends to believe her lies. Only once does he give himself away, taking the side of his niece, whom Taeko is trying to persuade into an arranged marriage, saying that if his wife forces her niece to marry against her will, her marriage will be as unhappy as their own. He, like his friends, sees beauty in simple, seemingly trivial things - in the blue sky, the Southern Cross constellation over the Strait of Malacca, cheap cigarettes, simple and tasty food, traveling by train in third class.
Excellent work by Ozu. At first glance, it is as banal and inconspicuous as the notorious rice with green tea, but it requires, like any truism, wisdom to understand and, like any simple thing, unspoiled taste to enjoy. It is about the fact that happiness in marriage does not consist in luxury, originality or intense relationships, but in peaceful and quiet joy in simple, but familiar and reliable things together with a loved one. However, happiness can only be achieved if the spouses have achieved peace with themselves. The film was shot with the same simplicity and elegance that marital love consists of - drawn-out, static shots and unhurried narration. At the same time, the film does not seem drawn out at all, without losing its fascination throughout the entire film narrative and entertaining the viewer with gentle humor and psychological observations.
Posted May 7, 2025, 2:28 PM UTC