is a 1951 black-and-white Japanese drama film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. It is based on the 1932 novella The Reed Cutter (Ashikari) by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki. Plot In 19th century Japan, Shinnosuke is paid a visit by Shizu and her sister Oyū to see if Shizu is a fitting marriage prospect for him. Yet, Shinnosuke is more fascinated by the older Oyū. Tradition forbids that the widowed Oyū marries again, as she has to raise her son and future heir of her deceased husband's family, so Shinnosuke and Shizu marry as a means for him and Oyū being as close as possible. When Oyū learns that Shizu declined to consummate the marriage as a sign of respect for the older sister and the affection between her and Shinnosuke, Oyū scolds her. Also, rumours about the true nature of the relationship between the three have started to spread, so Oyū insists on a geographical distance. Later, Oyū's son dies, and she has to leave her husband's family, while Shizu dies shortly after giving birth to her and Shinnosuke's child. Shinnosuke, whose family has lost its fortune, leaves his child at the house of the remarried Oyū, asking her in a letter to raise it as her own. Cast Kinuyo Tanaka as Oyū Kayukawa Nobuko Otowa as Shizu Yūji Hori as Shinnosuke Seribashi Kiyoko Hirai as Osumi Reiko Kongo as Otsugi Kayukawa Eijirō Yanagi as Eitaro Eitarō Shindō as Kusaemon Kanae Kobayashi as nanny Fumihiko Yokoyama as book-keeper 1 Jun Fujikawa as book-keeper 2 Soji Shibata as book-keeper 3 Inosuke Kuhara as boy Ayuko Fujishiro as waitress Shozo Nanbu as doctor Midori Komatsu as hostess Sachiko Aima as flower decoration teacher Sumao Ishihara as priest References External links 1951 films 1951 drama films Japanese drama films Japanese black-and-white films Films based on short fiction Films based on works by Jun'ichirō Tanizaki Films directed by Kenji Mizoguchi Daiei Film films Films with screenplays by Yoshikata Yoda Films scored by Fumio Hayasaka Films produced by Masaichi Nagata 1950s Japanese films