When a Woman Ascends the Stairs

It’s supposed to hit 90 again Sunday — a great excuse for a cool afternoon matinee, so here’s a last-minute listing. It’s part of the major Naruse retrospective at the Harvard Film Archive.

"From one bar to another, hostess Keiko (Takamine Hideko) seeks out patronage to support her family and fund her dream of having her own bar. Her mastery of flattery and affected coldness fall short as protection against men who corner her with bills, debts and other deceptive gestures disguised as care. When a Woman Ascends the Stairs remains one of Naruse's most renowned films, celebrated for Takamine's superbly controlled performance and for its black-and-white cinematography—which, with Mayuzumi Toshiro's jazz score and Takamine's voiceover narration, invokes a noir-adjacent sensibility." – Kelley Dong (From the HFA website)

This is a rare chance to see a 35mm print of the film on a big screen.

Keeping the attendance limit lower to help our discussion after the film flow easily. Please confirm that you will join us for a bite and conversation after the show. You can purchase advance tickets at the HFA website.

Directed by Naruse Mikio.
With Takamine Hideko, Nakadai Tatsuya, Mori Masayuki.
Japan, 1960, 35mm, black & white, 111 min.
Japanese with English subtitles.