Word: Richard Smith

Veteran Japanese director Kichitaro Negishi brings us a subtle and effective drama, Villon’s Wife, centring around long suffering wife Sachi (stellar performance by Takako Matsu) of a thieving, adulterous and alcoholic novelist Otani, played by heathrob Tadanobu Asano.

Based on a the novel “Villon no Tsuam” by Osamu Dazai which in turn was inspired by 15th century French poet Francois Villon the audience is thrown into a black and white scene of a mother with her son spinning a medieval-looking ‘wheel of fortune’ so to whose answer on first and second attempt claim the same fate for the young Otani which gives a certain reasoning for the characters lack of care and damaging behaviour throughout his life.

Moving to 1946, post Second World War, when Japan was in a kind of limbo – with Japanese men returning from war dejected and lost whilst the women needed to hold on to hope for the future of their marriages and their families. The plot is set as a drunken Otani enters his poorly patch-worked excuse of a home and soon followed by an older couple, Akiko and Okada demanding the money back from him which he had stolen from their bar earlier. An arrogant and uncaring Otani yells and tries to argue his way out of the claim and storms off – and the over polite and caring Sachi consoles the couple and insists that she will sort the problem out and pay the money back.

The next day Sachi turns up to the couple’s bar as a guarantee for the money owed and stolen by her husband and jumps into the role of waitress/hostess with gusto, much to the surprise of the owners. With a charming and attractive woman helping at the bar takings are greatly increased and the atmosphere of the bar has a fun and lively atmosphere.

The audience somehow are made to understand the inner power of Sachi and even accept that she is willing to do everything to keep her marriage and family together. You would expect to hate Otani’s character but you gradually warm to this tortured artist who drinks heavily, plays around with other women and steals money. But as the plot evolves you begin to see his weaknesses and his charm and you can’t help but love him despite his errors. Otani finds little solace in his affairs or in his alcoholic binges forever unhappy with his life, yet he is adored by his fans who are touched and inspired by his works.

Otani, in fact becomes in awe of his wife and suspects her of an affair with an admirer who takes the same train route as her every evening after leaving the bar. This is unfounded since Sachi is determinedly loyal to her husband and their future. He sees her strengthening and being ultimately his backbone. You may think I am being vague in this review but the plot is full of diversions and break-off stories that, if I revealed them, would certainly ruin your enjoyment of the story as it unfolds and characters are revealed and explained.

Cinematographically speaking the majority of the film is all in muted tones with a short moment of lurid colours as ‘westernised’ women in bright western clothing and make-up are seen flirting with American GI’s. This works surprisingly well as the leading lady shines through as the strongest character in the movie correcting all her husband’s mistakes and finding empowerment through all her actions as she unknowingly has everyone in awe of her understated strength as a wife, mother, worker, friend and woman.

All in all Villon’s Wife is a fantastic showcase of Takako’s acting skills amongst a great supporting cast. The story of a long suffering wife is somehow turned on its head as the audience is behind her all the way and want the marriage and future of the couple to work also – there is no need to see her leave her husband as we witness their need for each other and how deep their relationship is.

The film should not be on your list of casual films to watch – you need to be in the right mood for sure as the film can seem slow in some parts and the twists and turns in the story need to be recognised and acknowledged to fully understand the actions of all the characters involved. So… take the night off from any other obligations and, I suggest, go to the cinema alone to see this gem… as you are led on an emotional ride that is better off not hindered by any distractions from your usual cinema companions.