Kinuyo Tanaka
Acting
Kinuyo Tanaka (田中 絹代 Tanaka Kinuyo, 29 November 1909 – 21 March 1977) was a Japanese actress and director. Tanaka was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. She became a leading actress at seventeen years old, appearing in Heinosuke Gosho's An Embarrassing Dream in 1927. She proceeded to take leading parts in, among others, Yasujirō Ozu's I Graduated, But... in 1929, Gosho's Aiyoku no ki in 1930, and in 1931, Japan's first talkie, The Neighbor's Wife and Mine, directed by Gosho. She had a close working relationship with director Kenji Mizoguchi, having parts in 15 of his films, including leading roles in The Life of Oharu (1952), Ugetsu (1953) and Sansho the Bailiff (1954). Their working relationship ended when Mizoguchi countered a recommendation from the Directors Guild of Japan for the Nikkatsu studio to hire her as a director. Despite this, the production of her second film as director went ahead, but Tanaka never forgave Mizoguchi, and the reasons for his behaviour are unclear. She also played Noboru Yasumoto's mother in Akira Kurosawa's Red Beard (1965). For her portrayal in Kei Kumai's Sandakan N° 8 she won the Best Actress Award at the 25th Berlin International Film Festival in 1975. Her last screen appearance was in 1976 in Kei Kumai's Kita No Misaki. Tanaka was the second Japanese woman who worked as a film director, after Sakane Tazuko (1904‐1975). Her first directing job was on the film Love Letter in 1953, and she made five further films in that role.
Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
Self (archive footage)
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
Self (archive footage)
Lullaby of the Earth
Cape of the North
Old Nun
Let's Go, Grandma!
Kiku Sasaki
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
Self
Sandakan No. 8
Old Osaki
Sanbaba
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
The Old Family Mistress
Red Beard
Madame Yasumoto
Kono sora no aru kagiri
The Scent of Incense
Tsuna
Bright Sea
Nobuko Yazaki
Alone Across the Pacific
Youth's Mother
A Legend or Was It?
Shizuko Sonobe
Double Wedding
Mama, I Need You!
The Fencing Master
Oharu
A Wanderer's Notebook
Kishi, Fumiko's Mother
Eternity of Love
Michi's Mother
Her Brother
Mother
The Three Treasures
Princess Yamato
Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
Myokan
Hahakogusa
Shige Ozawa
The Eternal Rainbow
Fumi
Equinox Flower
Kiyoko Hirayama
The Ballad of Narayama
Orin
Sorrow Is Only for Women
On This Earth
Omitsu, Heiichiro's mother
Geisha in the Old City
Oei
Stepbrothers
Rie
Yellow Crow
Yukiko Matsumoto
Flowing
Rika Yamanaka / Oharu
The Storm
Women in Prison
Prison Warden
How Sorrowful
Confession
Forever a Woman
Neighbor's Wife
Tsukiyo no kasa
Shōnen shikeishū
House of Many Pleasures
Oshige
The Moon Has Risen
Yoneya
The Woman in the Rumor
Hatsuko Mabuchi
Five Sisters
Sansho the Bailiff
Tamaki
Love Letter
Landlady
An Heir's Place
Hisa Hosho
Ugetsu
Miyagi
Where Chimneys Are Seen
Hiroko Ogata
Sincere Heart
Kuniko
Himitsu
Mother
Masako Fukuhara
The Ataka Family
Kuniko Ataka
Sisters of Nishijin
The Life of Oharu
Oharu
Story of Lightning
The Lady of Musashino
Michiko Akiyama
Miss Oyu
Oyû Kayukawa
Ginza Cosmetics
Yukiko Tsuji
The Inner Palace Conspiracy
Onaka
The Munekata Sisters
Setsuko Munekata
Wedding Ring
Noriko Kuki
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
Oiwa / Osode
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
Oiwa / Osode
Flame of My Love
Eiko Hirayama
A Hen in the Wind
Tokiko Amamiya
Women of the Night
Fusako Owada
Phoenix
Sayoko Aihara
The Love of the Actress Sumako
Sumako Matsui
Marriage
Fumie Matsukawa
Utamaro and His Five Women
Okita
Victory of Women
Hiroko Hosokawa
Kanojo no hatsugen
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
Okinu
Victory Song
Woman who sings lullaby
Miyamoto Musashi
Shinobu Nonomiya
Army
Waka
The Man Who Has Returned
Air Raid of the Enemy Plane
Kiyo
Kaisen no Zenya
A Certain Woman
Record of a Woman Doctor
Ornamental Hairpin
Emi
Flower
Let's Go in Good Spirits
Okinu and Banto
Osaka Woman
Seisen aiba fu: Akatsuki ni inoru
Chiyo
Kinuyo's First Love
Weeds with flowers
Zoku aizen katsura
Spring Thunder
Okayo's Preparedness
Okayo
The Tree of Love
Katsue Takaishi
Mother and Child
Chieko
Banchō sarayashiki
A Man's Recompense: Part 2
A Man's Recompense: Part 1
Lady Doctor Kinuyo
Kinuyo Yamaoka
Song of the Flower Basket
Yoko
The New Road: Ryota
The New Road: Akemi
Men vs. Women
Burden of Life
Itsuko Kuriyama
Okoto and Sasuke
Okoto
An Innocent Maid
Oshige
My Elder Brother
Sumako
That Night's Woman
Osayo Koi Sugata
Osayo
Storm in the City
Honeymoon
Constellations on Earth, Part 2: Constellations
Constellations on Earth, Part One: Earth Chapter
Sakura Ondo
The Genealogy of Women
Otsuta
Mother of the East
Taeko
Sôbô
Yoshiko Chō
Daphne
Tamayō (Geisha)
Before the Wedding
Yukiko Takada
The Road to Marriage
Clear and Cloudy
Fusako Kawahara
Dragnet Girl
Tokiko
The Cheerleading Captain's Love
Omitsu
Woman of Tokyo
Harue
The Dancing Girl of Izu
Kaoru, a dancer
The Bride Talks in Her Sleep
Haruko, bride
Storm Zone
The Loyal 47 Ronin
Yae
Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth?
Oshige
Love in Tokyo
Shine, Japanese Women
Shigeko
Studio Romance: A Guide to Love
The Sun Rises from the East
Miyoko
The Willows of Ginza
My Brother's a Fool
Victory or Defeat
The Golden Demon
Omiya
Woman of Suffering
ABC Lifeline
ABC Lifeline: Fujieda Chapter
The Tramp and His Daughter
The Neighbour's Wife and Mine
Wife of the Playwright
Sisters: Part 2
Sisters: Part 1
Cry Cheerfully!
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2
Mayumi
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1
Mayumi
Young Lady
Kinuko
Youth, Why Do You Cry?
Kozue Uesugi
Record of Love and Desire
The Tale of Kinuyo
Kinuyo
Mother, Don't Tarnish Your Name
The Great Ship
The Big City: Explosion
A Smiling Life
Where Do Women Go?
Omitsu
I Flunked, But...
Cafe's Waitress
Song of Youth
Kinuko Yamada
Marching On
Toshiko Yamamoto
The Beating
The Father and His Son
Triumphant Song of the Mountain
Yuki Matsuyama
I Graduated, But...
Machiko Nomoto
Cheerful Song
Mamoko
The Model of New Women
The Big City: Labor
Okimi (cleaning woman)
The Village Where the Skylark Sings
Him and Life
Echigo Lion
The Blacksmith of the Forest
Omitsu
Symphony of Youth
Kinuko Noguchi
The Glory of the Shōwa Era
Yayoi Sakurai (Shōwa Chapter)
King of the Land
Namiko
Thank You for Your Hard Work
A Wife Quits
The Face of Humanity
What a Handsome Man!
Shikanyu (geisha)
Iron Virgin
Namiko
The Eternal Heart
Immortal Love
The Age of Emotion
The Village Bride
If Only She...
Chronicles of a Sea Country
Oaki (Sister)
Modern Warrior Training
Night is a Trickster
Lovers' Suicide at Kiso
Sankichi the Flying Squirrel
Oshizu (Tazaemon's Daughter)
The Oath of a Thousand Kills
Kaōgi (Courtesan)
Madame Pearl
Song of the Border Patrol
Tsutae
Magic
An Embarrassing Dream
Takada no Baba
The Harakiri at Tennōji
Yakko no Koman
The Basement
Secret Struggle
Flashing Blade
Her
Buried Youth
The Complete Story of Jirocho Shimizu, Part 2: Ashura's Revenge
Useless Button
The Cursed Sword
Owaka
Love and Courage
The Betrayed
O-Fumi
Torrent
Young Master
Tamako (Geisha in training)
Oh! Carefree, Aren't You?
Townspeople
Troubled Days
Osaki (Reiko's Sister)
No Need for Your Opinion
Daughter
Love's Snare
Osato (Thread Shop Owner)
Fallen Samurai
Omaki
Nature Is the Judge
The Killing of a Hundred Men at Isshinji Temple
Otami
Brave Love
Cry of the Raging Current
Okimi
The Little Traveling Entertainer
Okiku
Village Pasture
Oharu
A Woman from the Genroku Era