Women, smoking, 1930s Tokyo

[Frances Loden]

>1. Does anyone know of any early Showa period films in which women who
>smoke or scenes of women smoking figure prominently? Scenes or images that
>remain in the mind?
>
>2. Is there any place in Tokyo/the Kanto area that has videos of early
>Showa era films? If not, does anyone have any recommendations on the best
>way to get access to films from this era?

Sarah--

Three films come to mind for No. 1:

Mizoguchi's "Taki no shiraito" (1933): Irie Takako grabs the pipe (kiseru)
out of the young student's mouth for a smoke and discovers that it has no
tobacco in it.  Later, she lies in bed smoking with her pipe, longing for
the day she'll be reunited with him. (my video copy available through
Matsuda Eigasha--
http://www.infoasia.co.jp/subdir/matsuda.html)

Gosho's "Madamu to nyobo" (1931): The straitlaced husband goes next door to
complain about the noise and is greeted by a "modan"/flapper-dressed woman
who is smoking. (video from Shochiku Best Selection)

Mizoguchi's "Naniwa Elegy" (1936): There are several scenes of Yamada Isuzu
smoking, but I believe all of them are indoor shots.  She's not smoking in
the final scene on the bridge when she asks the doctor if she can be
"cured." (English subtitled video from SVS Japan Film Collection)

Frako Loden
Tokyo, Japan
(03) 3247-5332
Keitai: 010-04-97072