The Only Son (1935). The Only Son was Ozu’s first talkie (a fact whimsically referenced in the film itself). It does not feature as cohesive a narrative as Ozu’s mature work, nor is the social commentary as sharp, but most of the characteristics of Ozu’s cinema are already in place--the static, perfectly framed shots, the themes of filial regret and parental disappointment, the deliberate pacing. The film is only slightly flawed by the unnecessary title cards introducing the year and an aura of sentimentality that is replaced in Ozu’s later works by understated resignation. A-.
There Was a Father (1942). One of two Ozu films made during World War II, There Was a Father is a brief work stressing filial piety and the transmission of social values, especially a productive, contributory lifestyle. Like most Japanese films made during this period, There Was a Father smacks of propaganda; however, Ozu’s worldview is largely intact, and the film is open to multiple readings (note, for instance, the capsized boat and Chisu Ryu’s reaction). With several prominent similarities to The Only Son, Criterion made an excellent choice releasing the two simultaneously; watching the two films together allows a viewer to watch Ozu develop as a filmmaker. A.
