Wicked Woman (1958) Dokufu Takahashi Oden | Region-Free (DVD) | English Subtitles

Title: A Wicked Woman (1958)

Alternate Title: Dokufu Takahashi Oden

Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance

Plot Synopsis:
Set in 1870s Tokyo, a woman named Den resorts to theft to support her daughter from a previous marriage and her ailing second husband. She becomes romantically involved with a young policeman but is coerced into becoming the mistress and procurer for a vice boss. Following the deaths of her husband and daughter, Den relocates to Yokohama, where she manages a casino for the vice boss. Her past catches up with her, leading to a series of tragic events.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Nobuo Nakagawa
• Writers: Katsuyoshi Nakatsu, Shin Nakazawa
• Cast:
  • Katsuko Wakasugi as Oden Takahashi
  • Jūzaburō Akechi as Kazuma Namikawa
  • Tetsurō Tanba as Ihei Ōsawa
  • Akira Nakamura as Jinjūrō Koga
  • Gen Funabashi as Kakunosuke Kurata

IMDb Link:
A Wicked Woman (1958)

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Uriah43 – ★★★★☆
   “This film begins with an attractive young woman named ‘Oden Takahashi’ (Katsuko Wakasugi) running through the streets of Tokyo while being chased by the police. Although she manages to elude them by sneaking a ride on a passing rickshaw, she finds out a little later that the driver just happens to be her former husband who she left because of his alcoholism and gambling addiction. A little while later, it is revealed that her current husband suffers from tuberculosis and that Oden has resorted to shoplifting to support him. Not only that, but she also discovers that her young daughter by her first husband is being neglected, and so she subsequently decides to try to support her as well. Ironically, her incredible beauty soon attracts several men who seek to use her criminal activities against her for their own self-centered purposes which, combined with her own selfish agenda, has contributed to her current situation—and created even more problems for her. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was a very interesting movie set during a fascinating time in Japanese history known as the Meiji Restoration which the director (Nobuo Nakagawa) used to great effect. I also appreciated his use of symbolism, which is seldom seen in motion pictures today. Likewise, having a lovely and talented actress like Katsuko Wakasugi certainly didn’t hurt either. Be that as it may, I found this movie to be quite compelling, and I recommend it to those viewers interested in a film of this type.”
2. Cinephile-doux – ★★★☆☆
   “A Wicked Woman is freely inspired by the tumultuous life of the last woman to have been beheaded in Japan, in 1879. Prototype of film noir, it is one of the six feature films of 1958 directed by Nobuo Nakagawa. The film portrays a woman who tries to rival society through theft and fraud but ends up being caught by her feelings. The narrative is well-constructed, and the direction is solid, making it a noteworthy entry in Nakagawa’s filmography.”

Meta Description:
“A Wicked Woman” (1958), directed by Nobuo Nakagawa, is a Japanese crime drama that explores the life of Den, a woman in 1870s Tokyo who turns to crime to support her family, leading to a series of tragic events.