When a Woman Ascends the Stairs

Naruse’s WHEN A WOMAN ASCENDS THE STAIRS (1960) is extraordinary. A woman, a bar madam in the Ginza district of Tokyo, tries to make her own way in the world, against a system that wants her to continue to be dependent on men. She’s beautiful, she’s fragile, she’s so determined, and she fails every single time. It’s devastating and beautiful. I’ve seen it many times, and it moves me every single time. It's a completely unsentimental film.