This is a pretty good film not to be overlooked by fans of Japanese film. Kinoyu Tanaka directed it. She played in the very important and better known films by Mizoguchi Kenji, such as 'The Life of Oharu' and 'Sansho Dayu'.
The basic story in 'Love under the Crucifix' is about Ogin, daughter of a tea master, are both Christins in feudal Japan. Ogin falls in love with a feudal prince, also a Christian who is already married, and that creates problems. Further, when the Shogun bans Christianity, the situation worsens. Anyway, this film has strong tenants of humanism and feminism alla Mizoguchi, heavily influenced by'Life of Oharu", yet Tanaka does lack not a little of her Master's touch, as the film is very much too overdramaticized at times. That being said, the music score is really really good, and is bone chilling at times, as is the performance by the lead actress. I give it 7.5/10.
The basic story in 'Love under the Crucifix' is about Ogin, daughter of a tea master, are both Christins in feudal Japan. Ogin falls in love with a feudal prince, also a Christian who is already married, and that creates problems. Further, when the Shogun bans Christianity, the situation worsens. Anyway, this film has strong tenants of humanism and feminism alla Mizoguchi, heavily influenced by'Life of Oharu", yet Tanaka does lack not a little of her Master's touch, as the film is very much too overdramaticized at times. That being said, the music score is really really good, and is bone chilling at times, as is the performance by the lead actress. I give it 7.5/10.