Review of I Was Born, But... (1932) by Richard S — 07 Aug 2008

Although it is beloved by many, and served as my introduction to Ozu, I never warmed up to "Good Morning". The silent that inspired it is far stronger because it deals with the same issues precisely and more pointedly.

The later film suffers when Ozu tries to critique the artificial world of television. There's a decided American sitcom influence that while interesting on a certain level is thankfully nowhere to be found in the original.

You're left with an already confident director beginning to do away with the broad slapstick that pervaded the earlier entry in this DVD set (and presumably many of his other early works) in favor of a more involving examination of the dynamics of disappointment and acceptance within the family.