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Mother and Child
Movie

Mother and Child

1938 • Unknown

Woke Score
1
out of 10

Plot

The movie follows a young woman (Kinuyo Tanaka), a daughter of a high-ranking businessman and his neglected mistress, as she struggles to ease her mother's loneliness, while also having an affair with her father's subordinate.

Overall Series Review

Mother and Child is a grounded 1938 Japanese drama that explores the emotional landscape of family obligation and social class. The film centers on the bond between a daughter and her mother, emphasizing themes of sacrifice, loyalty, and personal duty. Director Mikio Naruse focuses on the lived realities of common people without resorting to political lectures or ideological subversion. The story treats the challenges of the characters with grace and maintains a focus on the universal human experience of love and hardship within a traditional society. It remains a respectful portrait of 1930s Japanese life.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

Characters are judged by their actions and social standing. The film avoids race-based narratives and focuses entirely on individual character and family merit.

Oikophobia1/10

The narrative respects traditional Japanese values and social hierarchies. It views the family unit and filial piety as the essential foundations of society.

Feminism2/10

Motherhood is portrayed as a noble and sacrificial role. While the film notes the hardships of women, it celebrates the maternal bond rather than seeking to dismantle it.

LGBTQ+1/10

The story focuses on traditional male-female relationships and the complexities of domestic life. There is no mention of modern gender theory or sexual identity politics.

Anti-Theism1/10

The film upholds a clear moral code based on duty and honor. It avoids moral relativism and respects the objective traditional ethics of its time.