A Story of Floating Weeds (1934)

In the heart of Japan, a vibrant traveling theater troupe, led by charismatic Kihachi Ichikawa, navigates the stormy seas of their professional and personal lives. Faced with financial woes and unrelenting bad weather hindering their performances, the troupe grapples with their tumultuous circumstances. Unbeknownst to them, Kihachi carries a profound secret, an echo from his past that intertwines with his present. In the town where the troupe has recently arrived, Kihachi finds solace in the company of Otsune, his former mistress, and their illegitimate son, Shinkichi. Shielding Shinkichi from the vagabond lifestyle of his own existence, Kihachi has painted the illusion of a late civil servant father for his son, fostering hope for a prosperous future away from the world of acting. Meanwhile, Kihachi's clandestine visits to Otsune and his financial support for Shinkichi's education remain veiled from the prying eyes of his troupe, especially Otaka, his current lover and the troupe's leading actress. However, when the curtains of Kihachi's secret life are drawn back, a heartbroken and vengeful Otaka plots a sinister scheme. She manipulates Otoki, the troupe's budding ingenue, into a dangerous game of seduction targeting innocent Shinkichi, an act designed to devastate Kihachi. As Otoki and Shinkichi's relationship deepens, Otoki finds herself unexpectedly entangled in her own web of deceit. Caught in the whirlwind of love, lies, and revenge, the lives of Kihachi, Otsune, Shinkichi, and the troupe hang in the balance. Will the truth shatter their world, or can they salvage the harmony they once shared? This tale of floating weeds weaves a complex narrative of human relationships, ambition, and the heart's resilience in the face of adversity.

A Story of Floating Weeds is a drama movie featuring Takeshi Sakamoto.

A Story of Floating Weeds is currently streaming on Criterion Channel and Max Amazon Channel.