The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum
Seen it?1939 | 144 min | Romance, Drama
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (94% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for romantics. If you loved Notes on a Scandal, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Warm and romantic.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 24 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Made in 1939: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
In late 19th-century Tokyo, Kikunosuke Onoue, the adopted son of a legendary actor, himself an actor specializing in female roles, discovers that the praise he receives is only due to his status as his father's heir. Devastated, he turns to Otoku, a servant of his family, for comfort, and they fall in love. Kikunosuke becomes determined to leave home and develop as an actor on his own merits, and Otoku faithfully joins him.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
94% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.8 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 14K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi
- Shōtarō HanayagiKikunosuke Onoue
- Kakuko MoriOtoku
- Kōkichi TakadaFukusuke Nakamura
- Kinnosuke TakamatsuMatsusuke Onoue
- Gonjurô KawarazakiKikugoro Onoue
- Benkei ShiganoyaMasseur Genshun
- Kikuko HanaokaGeisha Konaka
- Nobuko FushimiGeisha Eiryu
- Ichiro YukiHotel lodger
- Tokusaburo ArashiShikan Nakamura