Street of Shame

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Street of Shame ★★★½ Red-Light District; Akasen Chitai 1956

A portrayal of the abused lives of six Tokyo prostitutes. Typically sensitive to the roles and needs of women and critical of the society that exploits them, Mizoguchi creates a quiet, inclusive coda to his life's work in world cinema. Kyo is splendid as a hardened hooker and has a memorable scene with her father. Kogure is also good. The great director's last finished work was instrumental in the outlawing of prostitution in Japan. In Japanese with English subtitles. 88m/B VHS . JP Machiko Kyo, Aiko Mimasu, Michiyo Kogure; D: Kenji Mizoguchi.