Vu en salle, rétrospective Kinuyo Tanaka (Carlotta).
A very classical biographic movie, wandering like its titular princess through various places and times without ever developing a subject. It felt older than it is.
What could be a valuable japanese insight on various interesting situationsturns out to be insipid.
The disconnection between most "episodes", the arduous joints between the uneventful personal path of Saga Hiro (living at 1st what seemed like a dramaless family life) and the interesting background politics and warring you hardly hear about to the point the audience is served History as cardboards, and the randomly inserted book quotations never make for a greater overall.
The end even veers into melodrama.
Things simply happen for the sake of (partial) exhaustiveness or to deliver some instant drama, not leaving a dent nor being discussed or prepared (ex: Puyi's wife being an opium addict).
Score: 5/10
Enjoyment: 3/5
Although restorations are always appreciated, one might wonder the relevance of releasing this Kinuyo Tanaka retrospective of all things.
Some light historical knowledge on this period of Japan & China's relationship might help.