A Tale from the Floating World - Ooku

Released in 2006, Ooku is a period film that examines courtly intrigue and one woman's fleeting moment of happiness in a life of service to her Emperor. It is based on a hit television series of the same name. Ooku is a section of the Edo Castle where the Emperor's women reside - concubines, family, servants. During the Tokugawa era, it was believed to be a source of political intrigue. Nakama Yukie (Shinobi) stars as Lady Eijima, a court lady who is best friends with Lady Gekoin, the mother of the current Shogun Tokugawa, who is only 7 years old and of frail health. Lady Gekoin is romantically involved with Lord Echizen, a court advisor, and rumors of this relationship threatens to cause chaos in the inner court. Lady Tenelin, the widow of the former Shogun, is scheming against Lady Gekoin. Aware of a possible affair, Tenelin sets a trap by planning to use a Kabuki actor to seduce Lady Eijima, and using that affair as leverage to force her into exposing her friend's affair. But Lady Eijima is savvy to her schemes, and proves to be a loyal and honest court lady. Until the Kabuki actor, through circumstances (a fire in the theater) and some well planned events, manages to finally seduce her in an evening of bliss. What the actor didn't count on was actually falling in love with her. He refuses to carry through with the plot, even though Tenelin exposes their affair, and he his crucified. Eijima is expelled from the castle, saved from being executed by Gekoin's intervention, but Gekoin's affair is never revealed, even when the young Tokugawa dies. Eijima lives holding on to the short but beautiful memory of the love and happiness she felt that one evening.

This is a gorgeous film to look at. Not since Kurosawa's Ran have I been mesmorized by the colors and textures in a film. They went all out to portray a living breathing "floating world," and it works. The acting is above average, and the plot is decent enough. The only thing that prevents me from deliriously raving about this film is the directing, who I understand was the television director for the series. Not that he did a bad job; it just needed a firmer grip on the pacing and direction of the story, which does slow down when it pays too much attention to itself. I'm being very picky, of course, and it is nice to see a top quality Japanese film tackling period history with care and detail. Recommended.