The Lady and The Beard (Shukujo to Hige)

Japan, 1931, 72 minutes, black and white, silent film

Directed by Yasujiro Ozu

Cast:  Tokihiko Okada, Hiroko Kawasaki, Choko Iida, Satoko Date, Ichiro Tsukida, and Toshiko Iizuka

One of Ozu's nonsense comedies about an exuberant kendo expert who attracts the attention of three very different modern women ‑ the party girl sister of his best friend, a fallen woman mixed up with gangsters, and the nice girl he's sweet on ‑ who are attracted to his old-fashioned chivalry but want to change some of his other traditional ways, starting with his scruffy, overgrown beard. Slight, but funny and sweet - with a cameo by Abraham Lincoln!

In this score, AJE explored new musical territory:  1930's jazz, sexy film noir music, and a classic cowboy theme.