Kinuyo Tanaka
Kinuyo Tanaka (田中 絹代 Tanaka Kinuyo, 29 November 1909 – 21 March 1977) was a Japanese actress and director. Tanaka was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. She became a leading actress at seventeen years old, appearing in Heinosuke Gosho's An Embarrassing Dream in 1927. She proceeded to take leading parts in, among others, Yasujirō Ozu's I Graduated, But... in 1929, Gosho's Aiyoku no ki in 1930, and in 1931, Japan's first talkie, The Neighbor's Wife and Mine, directed by Gosho. She had a close working relationship with director Kenji Mizoguchi, having parts in 15 of his films, including leading roles in The Life of Oharu (1952), Ugetsu (1953) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954). Their working relationship ended when Mizoguchi countered a recommendation from the Directors Guild of Japan for the Nikkatsu studio to hire her as a director. Despite this, the production of her second film as director went ahead, but Tanaka never forgave Mizoguchi, and the reasons for his behaviour are unclear. She also played Noboru Yasumoto's mother in Akira Kurosawa's Red Beard (1965). For her portrayal in Kei Kumai's Sandakan N° 8 she won the Best Actress Award at the 25th Berlin International Film Festival in 1975. Her last screen appearance was in 1976 in Kei Kumai's Kita No Misaki. Tanaka was the second Japanese woman who worked as a film director, after Sakane Tazuko (1904‐1975). Her first directing job was on the film Love Letter in 1953, and she made five further films in that role.
Filmography
Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
as Self (archive footage)
Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
as Self (archive footage)
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
as Self (archive footage)
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
as Self (archive footage)
Lullaby of the Earth
Lullaby of the Earth
Cape of the North
as Old Nun
Cape of the North
as Old Nun
Let's Go, Grandma!
as Kiku Sasaki
Let's Go, Grandma!
as Kiku Sasaki
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
as Self
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
as Self
Sandakan No. 8
as Old Osaki
Sandakan No. 8
as Old Osaki
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
as The Old Family Mistress
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
as The Old Family Mistress
Red Beard
as Madame Yasumoto
Red Beard
as Madame Yasumoto
The Scent of Incense
as Tsuna
The Scent of Incense
as Tsuna
Bright Sea
as Nobuko Yazaki
Bright Sea
as Nobuko Yazaki
Alone Across the Pacific
as Youth's Mother
Alone Across the Pacific
as Youth's Mother
A Legend or Was It?
as Shizuko Sonobe
A Legend or Was It?
as Shizuko Sonobe
Double Wedding
Double Wedding
Mama, I Need You!
Mama, I Need You!
The Fencing Master
as Oharu
The Fencing Master
as Oharu
A Wanderer's Notebook
as Kishi, Fumiko's Mother
A Wanderer's Notebook
as Kishi, Fumiko's Mother
Eternity of Love
as Michi's Mother
Eternity of Love
as Michi's Mother
Her Brother
as Mother
Her Brother
as Mother
The Three Treasures
as Princess Yamato
The Three Treasures
as Princess Yamato
Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
as Myokan
Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
as Myokan
Hahakogusa
as Shige Ozawa
Hahakogusa
as Shige Ozawa
The Eternal Rainbow
as Fumi
The Eternal Rainbow
as Fumi
Equinox Flower
as Kiyoko Hirayama
Equinox Flower
as Kiyoko Hirayama
The Ballad of Narayama
as Orin
The Ballad of Narayama
as Orin
Sorrow Is Only for Women
Sorrow Is Only for Women
On This Earth
as Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
On This Earth
as Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
Geisha in the Old City
as Oei
Geisha in the Old City
as Oei
Stepbrothers
as Rie
Stepbrothers
as Rie
Flowing
as Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
Flowing
as Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
The Storm
The Storm
Women in Prison
as Prison Warden
Women in Prison
as Prison Warden
How Sorrowful
How Sorrowful
This Is Home
This Is Home
Confession
Confession
Forever a Woman
as Neighbor's Wife
Forever a Woman
as Neighbor's Wife
Tsukiyo no kasa
Tsukiyo no kasa
Shōnen shikeishū
Shōnen shikeishū
House of Many Pleasures
as Oshige
House of Many Pleasures
as Oshige
The Moon Has Risen
as Yoneya
The Moon Has Risen
as Yoneya
The Woman in the Rumor
as Hatsuko Mabuchi
The Woman in the Rumor
as Hatsuko Mabuchi
Five Sisters
Five Sisters
Sansho the Bailiff
as Tamaki
Sansho the Bailiff
as Tamaki
Love Letter
as Landlady
Love Letter
as Landlady
An Heir's Place
as Hisa Hosho
An Heir's Place
as Hisa Hosho
Ugetsu
as Miyagi
Ugetsu
as Miyagi
Where Chimneys Are Seen
as Hiroko Ogata
Where Chimneys Are Seen
as Hiroko Ogata
Sincere Heart
as Kuniko
Sincere Heart
as Kuniko
Her Secret
Her Secret
Mother
as Masako Fukuhara
Mother
as Masako Fukuhara
The Ataka Family
as Kuniko Ataka
The Ataka Family
as Kuniko Ataka
Sisters of Nishijin
Sisters of Nishijin
Story of Lightning
Story of Lightning
Aizenbashi
Aizenbashi
The Lady of Musashino
as Michiko Akiyama
The Lady of Musashino
as Michiko Akiyama
Miss Oyu
as Oyû Kayukawa
Miss Oyu
as Oyû Kayukawa
Ginza Cosmetics
as Yukiko Tsuji
Ginza Cosmetics
as Yukiko Tsuji
The Inner Palace Conspiracy
as Onaka
The Inner Palace Conspiracy
as Onaka
The Actress and the Detective
The Actress and the Detective
The Munekata Sisters
as Setsuko Munekata
The Munekata Sisters
as Setsuko Munekata
Wedding Ring
as Noriko Kuki
Wedding Ring
as Noriko Kuki
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
as Oiwa / Osode
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
as Oiwa / Osode
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
as Oiwa / Osode
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
as Oiwa / Osode
Flame of My Love
as Eiko Hirayama
Flame of My Love
as Eiko Hirayama
A Hen in the Wind
as Tokiko Amamiya
A Hen in the Wind
as Tokiko Amamiya
Women of the Night
as Fusako Owada
Women of the Night
as Fusako Owada
Phoenix
as Sayoko Aihara
Phoenix
as Sayoko Aihara
The Love of the Actress Sumako
as Sumako Matsui
The Love of the Actress Sumako
as Sumako Matsui
Marriage
as Fumie Matsukawa
Marriage
as Fumie Matsukawa
Utamaro and His Five Women
as Okita
Utamaro and His Five Women
as Okita
Victory of Women
as Hiroko Hosokawa
Victory of Women
as Hiroko Hosokawa
Kanojo no hatsugen
Kanojo no hatsugen
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
as Okinu
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
as Okinu
Victory Song
as Woman who sings lullaby
Victory Song
as Woman who sings lullaby
Miyamoto Musashi
as Shinobu Nonomiya
Miyamoto Musashi
as Shinobu Nonomiya
Army
as Waka
Army
as Waka
The Man Who Has Returned
The Man Who Has Returned
Air Raid of the Enemy Plane
as Kiyo
Air Raid of the Enemy Plane
as Kiyo
Kaisen no Zenya
Kaisen no Zenya
A Certain Woman
A Certain Woman
Record of a Woman Doctor
Record of a Woman Doctor
Ornamental Hairpin
as Emi
Ornamental Hairpin
as Emi
Flower
Flower
Let's Go in Good Spirits
Let's Go in Good Spirits
Okinu and Banto
Okinu and Banto
Seisen aiba fu: Akatsuki ni inoru
as Chiyo
Seisen aiba fu: Akatsuki ni inoru
as Chiyo
Kinuyo's First Love
Kinuyo's First Love
Weeds with flowers
Weeds with flowers
Zoku aizen katsura
Zoku aizen katsura
A Man's Recompense: Part 1
A Man's Recompense: Part 1
My Elder Brother
as Sumako
My Elder Brother
as Sumako
Storm in the City
Storm in the City
Constellations on Earth, Part One: Earth Chapter
Constellations on Earth, Part One: Earth Chapter
Daphne
as Tamayō (Geisha)
Daphne
as Tamayō (Geisha)
The Road to Marriage
The Road to Marriage
Dragnet Girl
as Tokiko
Dragnet Girl
as Tokiko
Youth, Why Do You Cry?
as Kozue Uesugi
Youth, Why Do You Cry?
as Kozue Uesugi
Record of Love and Desire
Record of Love and Desire
The Tale of Kinuyo
as Kinuyo
The Tale of Kinuyo
as Kinuyo
The Great Ship
The Great Ship
A Smiling Life
A Smiling Life
I Flunked, But...
as Cafe's Waitress
I Flunked, But...
as Cafe's Waitress
Song of Youth
as Kinuko Yamada
Song of Youth
as Kinuko Yamada
The Beating
The Beating
The Father and His Son
The Father and His Son