Late Spring

Late Spring

1949 • Drama
Noriko is perfectly happy living at home with her widowed father, Shukichi, and has no plans to marry -- that is, until her aunt Masa convinces Shukichi that unless he marries off his 27-year-old daughter soon, she will likely remain alone for the rest of her life. When Noriko resists Masa's matchmaking, Shukichi is forced to deceive his daughter and sacrifice his own happiness to do what he believes is right.
Runtime: 1h 48m

Why you should read the novel

Before watching Yasujiro Ozu’s acclaimed film Late Spring, immerse yourself in the novel Father and Daughter by Kazuo Hirotsu. The book offers rich psychological insight and social context that will deepen your understanding of the characters’ motivations. Reading Hirotsu’s original work allows you to engage with the cultural themes and nuances Ozu adapted, and experience the story’s emotional depth in its intended literary form. If you are a fan of Japanese literature or interested in the postwar era, Father and Daughter is a must-read that captures the complexities of family, duty, and personal longing with unmatched subtlety.

Adaptation differences

One of the main differences between Kazuo Hirotsu’s Father and Daughter and Ozu’s Late Spring lies in characterization. The novel delves deeper into the inner lives and emotional complexities of both father and daughter, offering a wider psychological landscape compared to the film’s understated approach. Additionally, the book provides more context about the period’s social pressures and family expectations, giving readers a fuller picture of why characters struggle with personal sacrifice versus societal norms. While the film refines the narrative to focus on visual storytelling and silence, the novel uses prose to build richer background and detail, including secondary characters and their roles in the protagonists’ lives. Ultimately, reading Father and Daughter provides a more comprehensive exploration of generational change, duty, and the tension between tradition and individual desires—elements only hinted at in Ozu’s cinematic adaptation.

Late Spring inspired from

Father and Daughter
by Kazuo Hirotsu