Kinuyo Tanaka
Acting
1909-11-28 · Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan
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.
Filmography
Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
2022 · Movie
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
2009 · Movie
Lullaby of the Earth
1976 · Movie
Cape of the North
1976 · Movie
Let's Go, Grandma!
1975 · Movie
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
1975 · Movie
Sandakan No. 8
1974 · Movie
Sanbaba
1974 · Movie
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
1972 · Movie
Mominoki wa Nokotta
1970 · Series
Red Beard
1965 · Movie
Kono sora no aru kagiri
1964 · Movie
The Scent of Incense
1964 · Movie
Bright Sea
1963 · Movie
Alone Across the Pacific
1963 · Movie
A Legend or Was It?
1963 · Movie
Double Wedding
1963 · Movie
Mama, I Need You!
1962 · Movie
The Fencing Master
1962 · Movie
A Wanderer's Notebook
1962 · Movie
Love Under the Crucifix
1962 · Movie
Girls of the Night
1961 · Movie
Eternity of Love
1961 · Movie
Her Brother
1960 · Movie
The Wandering Princess
1960 · Movie
The Three Treasures
1959 · Movie
Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
1959 · Movie
Hahakogusa
1959 · Movie
The Eternal Rainbow
1958 · Movie
Equinox Flower
1958 · Movie
The Ballad of Narayama
1958 · Movie
Sorrow Is Only for Women
1958 · Movie
On This Earth
1957 · Movie
Geisha in the Old City
1957 · Movie
Stepbrothers
1957 · Movie
Yellow Crow
1957 · Movie
Flowing
1956 · Movie
The Storm
1956 · Movie
Women in Prison
1956 · Movie
How Sorrowful
1956 · Movie
This Is Home
1956 · Movie
Confession
1956 · Movie
Forever a Woman
1955 · Movie
Tsukiyo no kasa
1955 · Movie
Shōnen shikeishū
1955 · Movie
House of Many Pleasures
1955 · Movie
The Moon Has Risen
1955 · Movie
The Woman in the Rumor
1954 · Movie
Five Sisters
1954 · Movie
Sansho the Bailiff
1954 · Movie
Love Letter
1953 · Movie
Brother and Sister
1953 · Movie
An Heir's Place
1953 · Movie
Ugetsu
1953 · Movie
Where Chimneys Are Seen
1953 · Movie
Sincere Heart
1953 · Movie
Her Secret
1952 · Movie
Mother
1952 · Movie
The Ataka Family
1952 · Movie
The Life of Oharu
1952 · Movie
Sisters of Nishijin
1952 · Movie
Story of Lightning
1951 · Movie
Aizenbashi
1951 · Movie
The Lady of Musashino
1951 · Movie
Miss Oyu
1951 · Movie
Ginza Cosmetics
1951 · Movie
The Inner Palace Conspiracy
1951 · Movie
The Actress and the Detective
1950 · Movie
The Munekata Sisters
1950 · Movie
Wedding Ring
1950 · Movie
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
1949 · Movie
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
1949 · Movie
Flame of My Love
1949 · Movie
A Hen in the Wind
1948 · Movie
Women of the Night
1948 · Movie
Phoenix
1947 · Movie
The Love of the Actress Sumako
1947 · Movie
Marriage
1947 · Movie
Utamaro and His Five Women
1946 · Movie
Victory of Women
1946 · Movie
Kanojo no hatsugen
1946 · Movie
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
1945 · Movie
Victory Song
1945 · Movie
Miyamoto Musashi
1944 · Movie
Army
1944 · Movie
The Man Who Has Returned
1944 · Movie
Air Raid of the Enemy Plane
1943 · Movie
Kaisen no Zenya
1943 · Movie
A Certain Woman
1942 · Movie
Record of a Woman Doctor
1941 · Movie
Ornamental Hairpin
1941 · Movie
Flower
1941 · Movie
Let's Go in Good Spirits
1941 · Movie
Okinu and Banto
1940 · Movie
Osaka Woman
1940 · Movie
Seisen aiba fu: Akatsuki ni inoru
1940 · Movie
Kinuyo's First Love
1940 · Movie
Weeds with flowers
1939 · Movie
Zoku aizen katsura
1939 · Movie
Spring Thunder
1939 · Movie
Okayo's Preparedness
1939 · Movie
The Tree of Love
1938 · Movie
Mother and Child
1938 · Movie
Banchō sarayashiki
1937 · Movie
A Man's Recompense: Part 2
1937 · Movie
A Man's Recompense: Part 1
1937 · Movie
Lady Doctor Kinuyo
1937 · Movie
Song of the Flower Basket
1937 · Movie
The New Road: Ryota
1936 · Movie
The New Road: Akemi
1936 · Movie
Men vs. Women
1936 · Movie
Burden of Life
1935 · Movie
Okoto and Sasuke
1935 · Movie
An Innocent Maid
1935 · Movie
My Elder Brother
1934 · Movie
That Night's Woman
1934 · Movie
Osayo Koi Sugata
1934 · Movie
Storm in the City
1934 · Movie
Honeymoon
1934 · Movie
Constellations on Earth, Part 2: Constellations
1934 · Movie
Constellations on Earth, Part One: Earth Chapter
1934 · Movie
Sakura Ondo
1934 · Movie
The Genealogy of Women
1934 · Movie
Mother of the East
1934 · Movie
Sôbô
1933 · Movie
Daphne
1933 · Movie
Before the Wedding
1933 · Movie
The Road to Marriage
1933 · Movie
Clear and Cloudy
1933 · Movie
Dragnet Girl
1933 · Movie
The Cheerleading Captain's Love
1933 · Movie
Woman of Tokyo
1933 · Movie
The Dancing Girl of Izu
1933 · Movie
The Bride Talks in Her Sleep
1933 · Movie
The Loyal 47 Ronin
1932 · Movie
Storm Zone
1932 · Movie
Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth?
1932 · Movie
Love in Tokyo
1932 · Movie
Shine, Japanese Women
1932 · Movie
Studio Romance: A Guide to Love
1932 · Movie
The Sun Rises from the East
1932 · Movie
The Willows of Ginza
1932 · Movie
My Brother's a Fool
1932 · Movie
Victory or Defeat
1932 · Movie
The Golden Demon
1932 · Movie
Woman of Suffering
1931 · Movie
ABC Lifeline
1931 · Movie
ABC Lifeline: Fujieda Chapter
1931 · Movie
The Tramp and His Daughter
1931 · Movie
The Neighbour's Wife and Mine
1931 · Movie
Sisters: Part 1
1931 · Movie
Sisters: Part 2
1931 · Movie
Cry Cheerfully!
1931 · Movie
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1
1931 · Movie
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2
1931 · Movie
Young Lady
1930 · Movie
Youth, Why Do You Cry?
1930 · Movie
Record of Love and Desire
1930 · Movie
The Tale of Kinuyo
1930 · Movie
Mother, Don't Tarnish Your Name
1930 · Movie
The Great Ship
1930 · Movie
The Big City: Explosion
1930 · Movie
Where Do Women Go?
1930 · Movie
A Smiling Life
1930 · Movie
I Flunked, But...
1930 · Movie
Song of Youth
1930 · Movie
Marching On
1930 · Movie
The Beating
1930 · Movie
Triumphant Song of the Mountain
1929 · Movie
The Father and His Son
1929 · Movie
I Graduated, But...
1929 · Movie
Cheerful Song
1929 · Movie
The Model of New Women
1929 · Movie
The Big City: Labor
1929 · Movie
The Village Where the Skylark Sings
1929 · Movie
Him and Life
1929 · Movie
Echigo Lion
1929 · Movie
The Blacksmith of the Forest
1929 · Movie
Symphony of Youth
1928 · Movie
The Glory of the Shōwa Era
1928 · Movie
King of the Land
1928 · Movie
Thank You for Your Hard Work
1928 · Movie
A Wife Quits
1928 · Movie
The Face of Humanity
1928 · Movie
What a Handsome Man!
1928 · Movie
Iron Virgin
1928 · Movie
The Eternal Heart
1928 · Movie
Immortal Love
1928 · Movie
The Age of Emotion
1928 · Movie
The Village Bride
1928 · Movie
If Only She...
1928 · Movie
Chronicles of a Sea Country
1928 · Movie
Modern Warrior Training
1928 · Movie
Night is a Trickster
1927 · Movie
Lovers' Suicide at Kiso
1927 · Movie
Sankichi the Flying Squirrel
1927 · Movie
The Oath of a Thousand Kills
1927 · Movie
Madame Pearl
1927 · Movie
Song of the Border Patrol
1927 · Movie
Magic
1927 · Movie
An Embarrassing Dream
1927 · Movie
Takada no Baba
1927 · Movie
The Harakiri at Tennōji
1927 · Movie
The Basement
1927 · Movie
Yakko no Koman
1927 · Movie
Secret Struggle
1927 · Movie
Flashing Blade
1926 · Movie
Her
1926 · Movie
Buried Youth
1926 · Movie
The Complete Story of Jirocho Shimizu, Part 2: Ashura's Revenge
1926 · Movie
Useless Button
1926 · Movie
The Cursed Sword
1926 · Movie
Love and Courage
1926 · Movie
The Betrayed
1926 · Movie
Torrent
1926 · Movie
Young Master
1926 · Movie
Oh! Carefree, Aren't You?
1926 · Movie
Townspeople
1926 · Movie
Troubled Days
1926 · Movie
No Need for Your Opinion
1925 · Movie
Fallen Samurai
1925 · Movie
Love's Snare
1925 · Movie
Nature Is the Judge
1925 · Movie
The Killing of a Hundred Men at Isshinji Temple
1925 · Movie
Brave Love
1925 · Movie
Cry of the Raging Current
1925 · Movie
The Little Traveling Entertainer
1925 · Movie
Village Pasture
1924 · Movie
A Woman from the Genroku Era
1924 · Movie