Marutai no onna

This film is a comedy laced with some drama and a little grit about an actress who witnesses a murder and is called upon to testify against the killer, who also assaulted her. She is a demanding primadonna and loves praise. Two officers are assigned to her, one who loves her work, one who never goes to films. She is threatened by the cult which the murderer is part of, so you wonder whether she is actually going to go through with it. There is action, drama but there is a terrific comic touch to it. This is not surprising, as director Juzo Itami showed often enough in films like "Minbo", "The Funeral" and "A Taxing Woman" that he was gifted in his approach to telling a story. Equally gifted actress Nobuko Miyamoto, who was Mr. Itami's wife, is just about perfect as the actress. She exhibits the right amount of histrionics, fear and comic intensity in her role. She is also a very attractive lady and is obviously relishing this portrayal. Sadly, this was their last film collaboration, as Mr. Itami committed suicide, but he left behind an impressive body of work, as Ms. Miyamoto still does. I highly recommend this film.