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6.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Spring Comes from the Ladies remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies that feel like a Sunday afternoon with the curtains drawn, you’ll probably find something to hold onto here. It’s for the folks who don’t mind if the plot takes a nap for a while. If you need explosions or a tight, ticking-clock narrative, you’re going to be checking your watch every five minutes.
It’s not a masterpiece, and honestly, some parts feel a little thin, even by early Ozu standards. But there’s a certain shaggy warmth to it that you just don't get in later, more rigid films.
You can see the seeds of what he becomes, but everything is a bit louder and more frantic here. It’s funny seeing the camera move so much. Ozu later became famous for his super-still, low-angle shots, but here he’s still playing around. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it feels like he’s just showing off the gear.
There is a scene near the middle where Yukiko Inoue is just sitting, looking out a window. It goes on for a long time. Maybe too long? I found myself looking at the pattern on the wall instead of the actor. It’s a strange, quiet moment that feels like a glitch in the pacing, but I sort of loved how awkward it was.
It’s not as polished as If Marriage Fails, which feels like a much tighter machine. This film is more like a pile of laundry—messy, but comforting if you know where everything is. It reminded me a bit of the light, breezy energy you see in The Manicure Girl.
The dialogue is snappy. Maybe too snappy. Sometimes characters rattle off lines so fast I had to rewind just to catch the gist. It’s like they were all drinking too much coffee on set that morning.
It’s a minor film. Not every movie needs to change your life, right? Sometimes you just want to watch people pretend to be human for an hour. This does that well enough. 🌸
