Record of a Tenement Gentleman (1947)

Embarking on a poignant journey through post-war Japan, a young boy, separated from his carpenter father, finds himself trailing behind a man named Tashiro, back to a tenement housing complex on Tokyo's fringe. The boy, hailing from Chigasaki, becomes a reluctant guest in this tight-knit community. Tashiro's roommate, Tamekichi, the tenement's stern head, rejects the idea of the child staying, his disdain for children and involvement evident. Caught in this unexpected predicament, Tashiro passes the responsibility of the boy onto their neighbor, a widowed woman named Tane. She too harbors a deep-seated aversion to children and involvement, treating the boy with an unmistakable coldness that only sharpens after an overnight incident. As a result, Tane embarks on a journey to Chigasaki, tasked by the tenement residents with uncovering the boy's father's whereabouts or his fate. Her journey unravels a grim truth - the father intentionally left his son behind while pursuing work opportunities. Despite this heartbreaking revelation, Tane's frosty demeanor towards the boy remains unchanged. However, a dramatic shift in her perspective occurs when the boy goes missing, having fled from fear of reprimand after a bedwetting incident. Tane finds herself grappling with an unexpected longing for the boy's presence and embarks on a tireless search. Upon finding him, she embraces the boy into her life, her sour demeanor softening. In the midst of the bustling tenement, under Tokyo's vast skies, a reluctant guardian and a lost boy find themselves forging an unlikely bond, leading Tane to consider him her son within a matter of days. Record of a Tenement Gentleman paints a vivid tableau of life in post-war Japan, exploring the profound transformation of indifference into love and the unexpected ties that bind us together.

Record of a Tenement Gentleman is a comedy movie featuring Chōko Iida and directed by Yasujirō Ozu.

Record of a Tenement Gentleman is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.