Marusa no onna (1987)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Juzo Itami

Writer:

Juzo Itami (writer)

Release Date:

June 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

He has a Yen for her, but he won't tell her where it's hidden... [USA Theatrical]

Plot:

Ryoko Itakura is a government tax agent who has just landed a big promotion. Her first assignment is to catch wheeler-dealer Hideki Gondo...

Plot Keywords:

Tax Evasion | Japan | Female Nudity | Yakuza | Tax Collector

Awards:

22 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Nobuko Miyamoto	...	Ryôko Itakura
Tsutomu Yamazaki	...	Hideki Gondô
Masahiko Tsugawa	...	Hanamura
Yasuo Daichi	...	Ijûin
Kinzoh Sakura	...	Kaneko (as Kinzô Sakura)
Hajime Asô	...	Himeda
Kiriko Shimizu	...	Kazue Kenmochi
Kazuyo Matsui	...	Kumi Torikai
Hideo Murota	...	Jûkichi Ishii
Machiko Watanabe	...	Kangofu
Shôtarô Takeuchi	...	Rihei Hakamada
Mitsuhiko Kiyohisa	...	Gondô no Untenshu
Akira Shioji	...	Fudôsan'ya
Kôichi Ueda	...	Ninagawa no Fukushin
Yuusuke Nagumo	...	Ninagawa no Kobun (as Yûsuke Nagumo)

Also Known As:

A Taxing Woman (USA)

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Sweden:11

Company:

New Century Producers

Quotes:

Hideki Gondo: To save money, you don't spend it. It's as simple as that. You give maybe $100 at a funeral, $200 at a wedding. That's not good. A million is nothing if you spend it. But even $100 is yours if you save it. Say you're trying to fill a glass with dripping water. When it's half-full, you're thirsty, so you drink. But that's stupid. Wait until it's full. But still don't drink. Wait 'til it brims over and lick it. That way you save the water and drink.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Marusa no onna wo marusa suru (1987) (V)

Enjoyed It & Recommend it.

The plot of A Taxing Woman is interesting/enthralling, regardless of the production date or language of the film. Watching tax evasion cases unfold is surprisingly interesting, presented in a manner that shows the more human side of government organizations. (OK, if not the 'human side', at least you get to see what it's like on the inside.) From a cultural perspective, a 1980s Tokyo is also interesting, with shots of the cityscape, pachinko parlors, love hotels, etc.

One last comment: There is nudity in this film, but It adds to the story of the film, justifying why some of the characters do what they do.