In 18th Century in Japan, the paper merchant Jihei (Kichiemon Nakamura) falls in love for the courtesan Koharu (Shima Iwashita), but he can not afford to redeem her from her master and owner of the brothel, since he spent all his money in the place with Koharu. Jihei's wife Osan tries to keep her husband with his two children and asks Koharu to leave him. The two lovers make a pact of double suicide to escape from the rigid rules of the Japanese society of 1720 and stay together after death.
Yeah, I'm convinced now this is a play made as a movie, which I thought was terrific. This time around, I found the wife of Jihei's to be probably the most tragic of them all. Sure Jihei and Koharu, the main lovers are tragic because the only way they can be together is in death. However, with Osan (Jihei's wife), she is married, has two children, and in love with a man who does not love her. She's done everything that's been asked of her as a wife and then some. Her character unfortunately, truly gets the shaft.
