A Mother Should Be Loved

Despite its missing first and last reels, this sensitive domestic drama remains a key work in the refinement of director Yasujiro Ozu’s style in its intimate focus on family dynamics. Following the death of the Kajiwara family patriarch, secrets and revelations rock the lives of his widow (Mitsuko Yoshikawa) and two sons as they attempt to come to terms with their fractured relationships. Ozu, whose own father died during the making of the film, noted its personal connection to his own life. (Criterion)