Monday Morning Maybe

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Poster for Late Spring

Late Spring

Seen it?

1949 | 108 min | Drama

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences rate it highly (8.0 out of 10). Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. If you loved Casablanca, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 48 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Made in 1949: an older pace and style.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Noriko is perfectly happy living at home with her widowed father, Shukichi, and has no plans to marry -- that is, until her aunt Masa convinces Shukichi that unless he marries off his 27-year-old daughter soon, she will likely remain alone for the rest of her life. When Noriko resists Masa's matchmaking, Shukichi is forced to deceive his daughter and sacrifice his own happiness to do what he believes is right.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    100% on Rotten Tomatoes, 93 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    8.0 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerSolid

    Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 67K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Yasujirō Ozu

  • Chishū RyūShukichi Somiya
  • Setsuko HaraNoriko Somiya
  • Yumeji TsukiokaAya Kitagawa
  • Haruko SugimuraMasa Taguchi
  • Hōhi AokiKatsuyoshi
  • Jun UsamiShuichi Hattori
  • Kuniko MiyakeAkiko Miwa
  • Masao MishimaJo Onodera
  • Yoshiko TsubouchiKiku
  • Yōko KatsuragiMisako