Kinuyo Tanaka
Biography
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.
Acting (138 movies)
Cape of the North
1976
Sansho the Bailiff
1954
Sandakan No. 8
1974
Equinox Flower
1958
Kaisen no Zenya
1943
Mother
1952
The Life of Oharu
1952
The Love of the Actress Sumako
1947
Miss Oyu
1951
The Woman in the Rumor
1954
Flowing
1956
Kono sora no aru kagiri
1964
The Munekata Sisters
1950
Zoku aizen katsura
1939
Alone Across the Pacific
1963
Women of the Night
1948
Miyamoto Musashi
1944
Utamaro and His Five Women
1946
Her Brother
1960
Flame of My Love
1949
Woman of Tokyo
1933
Phoenix
1947
Bright Sea
1963
Ornamental Hairpin
1941
Sincere Heart
1953
King of the Land
1928
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
1945
The Ballad of Narayama
1958
A Wanderer's Notebook
1962
The Neighbour's Wife and Mine
1931
The Dancing Girl of Izu
1933
A Legend or Was It?
1963
Burden of Life
1935
Army
1944
Youth, Why Do You Cry?
1930
The Three Treasures
1959
The Eternal Rainbow
1958
Banchō sarayashiki
1937
Wedding Ring
1950
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
1949
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
1949
A Man's Recompense: Part 1
1937
A Man's Recompense: Part 2
1937
Flower
1941
A Certain Woman
1942
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
2009
Forever a Woman
1955
The Moon Has Risen
1955
Record of a Woman Doctor
1941
Okoto and Sasuke
1935
An Heir's Place
1953
Victory of Women
1946
Five Sisters
1954
Yellow Crow
1957
I Graduated, But...
1929
The Scent of Incense
1964
The New Road: Akemi
1936
Wakarete ikiru toki mo
1961
Hahakogusa
1959
The Storm
1956
Where Chimneys Are Seen
1953
Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
2022
Marching On
1930
The Man Who Has Returned
1944
I Flunked, But...
1930
Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth?
1932
Dragnet Girl
1933
Okayo's Preparedness
1939
Red Beard
1965
Mama, I Need You!
1962
(Street of Wandering Pigeons) When Will the Birds Come Home
1955
Osayo Koi Sugata
1934
The Bride Talks in Her Sleep
1933
Lullaby of the Earth
1976
The Loyal 47 Ronin
1932
Ginza Cosmetics
1951
The Inner Palace Conspiracy
1951
The Tree of Love
1938
Tsukiyo no kasa
1955
The Lady of Musashino
1951
Marriage
1947
Geisha in the Old City
1957
Love Letter
1953
The Ataka Family
1952
The Fencing Master
1962
The Genealogy of Women
1934
Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
1959
Victory Song
1945
My Elder Brother
1934
On This Earth
1957
Lady Doctor Kinuyo
1937
Song of the Flower Basket
1937
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
1975
Men vs. Women
1936
Sisters of Nishijin
1952
Sanbaba
1974
Stepbrothers
1957
An Innocent Maid
1935
Young Lady
1930
A Hen in the Wind
1948
Directing (6 movies)
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