Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Kenji Mizoguchi

Role / Field:

Pioneering Japanese filmmaker known for depicting the oppression of women.

Born:

1898-05-16

Died:

1956-08-24

Century / Era:

1898s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Kenji Mizoguchi (溝口 健二, Mizoguchi Kenji; 16 May 1898 – 24 August 1956) was a Japanese filmmaker who directed roughly one hundred films during his career between 1923 and 1956. His most acclaimed works include The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums (1939), The Life of Oharu (1952), Ugetsu (1953), and Sansho the Bailiff (1954), with the latter three all being awarded at the Venice International Film Festival. A recurring theme of his films was the oppression of women in historical and contemporary Japan. Together with Akira Kurosawa and Yasujirō Ozu, Mizoguchi is seen as a representative of the "golden age" of Japanese cinema.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Mizoguchi was born in Hongō, Tokyo, as the second of three children, to Zentaro Miguchi, a roofing carpenter, and his wife Masa. The family's background was relatively humble until the father's failed business venture of selling raincoats to the Japanese troops during the Russo-Japanese War. The family was forced to move to the downtown district of Asakusa and gave Mizoguchi's older sister Suzu up for adoption, which in effect meant selling her into the geisha profession. In 1911, Mizoguchi's parents, too poor to continue...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• A. Philip Randolph — Shared historical date (05-16 · Died) (1979): Pioneer labor unionist and civil rights activist who fought for racial equality.
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• 1898 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1898
• May 16 (05-16) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on May 16
• 1956 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1956
• August 24 (08-24) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on August 24

Frequently Asked Questions about Kenji Mizoguchi