Introduction to Marriage Review: A surprisingly cozy look at 1930s domestic life

If you have an hour or so and want to see how people in 1930s Japan dealt with being newlyweds, this is definitely worth a watch. It’s perfect for people who like slow, domestic stories where the drama is mostly about who said what at dinner. If you need explosions or fast editing, you are going to absolutely hate this movie. 📺

I wasn't expecting much from a movie with such a boring title. It sounds like a school lecture.

But the leads, Sumiko Kurishima and Tatsuo Saitō, have this really natural chemistry. Saitō has this way of looking slightly confused that is just perfect for a guy realizing marriage isn't just about him anymore.

There is this one scene where they are just sitting on the floor together. The silence goes on for a bit too long, but you can tell they’re both thinking about the same thing without saying it. It’s a very human moment that you don't always see in these really old films.

The writing by Kōgo Noda is pretty sharp. He also worked on Yearning for Love, and you can see he really gets how to write small talk that actually feels like it matters.

One thing that was weird was the lighting in the hallway scenes. It’s so dark you can barely see who is walking toward the camera. Maybe the budget ran out for candles or something? 🕯️

It reminded me a little bit of The Marriage Chance, but it feels way more grounded in real life. It’s not trying to be a big romance; it’s just trying to be a life.

I did find myself checking my watch during the middle part. There is a whole subplot with the parents that just feels like it’s there to fill time. The dad talks so slow I thought my player was lagging.

Also, the way they use the sliding doors in this movie is almost like a character itself. Slam. Slide. Peek. It’s kind of funny how much emotion you can get out of a door.

I noticed a small mistake where a shadow of a crew member’s head pops up in the corner for like two seconds. It’s those little things that make me love these old movies even more. It feels like real people made it, not a computer.

Is it the best thing ever? No. But it’s comfy. It’s like a warm cup of tea on a day where you don’t want to think too hard about the world.

The ending doesn't really wrap everything up in a neat bow, which I liked. It just kind of stops. Like life does sometimes.

I think I liked it more than Those Who Pay just because it didn't feel so heavy-handed. It’s light, maybe a bit too light for some, but it worked for me.

If you're into that whole Shōchiku vibe, give it a go. Just don't expect it to change your life or anything. It's just a nice little movie about two people trying not to annoy each other. 🍶