The Oil Merchant's Wife

2009

1h 35min

Starting with director Gosha Hideo's version in 1992, the puppet theater of Chikamatsu Monzaemon has been made into a film on countless occasions. The actor Sakagami Shinobu wrote and directed this version. This new interpretation focuses on a woman who played a minor role in the original version, and features a bold performance from former pin-up model Fujikawa Nozomi. Yohee (Yasuda Shingo), son and heir of the store Kawachiya, runs up huge debts due to his obsession with the prostitute Okiku (Fujikawa). Told by her husband Chizaemon, Okichi (Yamada Kinuwo) goes to condemn Yohee. On her way back home, Okiku laughs and mocks her, which Okichi finds sexually exciting.