Setsuko Hara, 1920–2015

November 25, 2015 7:39 PM

It was reported today that Masae Aida, better known by her screen name Setsuko Hara, died 05 September 2015, aged 95. Hara starred in Late Spring (1949), Early Summer (1951), Tokyo Story (1953), and 98 other movies including a fruitful 12 year collaboration with Yasujiro Ozu. Despite being one of the biggest stars in Japan, in 1963 she walked away from her acting career, living in seclusion for the rest of her life.
posted by ob1quixote (20 comments total)

Such a memorable performance in Tokyo Story.

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posted by joseph conrad is fully awesome at 8:44 PM on November 25, 2015 [1 favorite]

She was also mesmerizing as Taeko in Kurosawa's The Idiot.
posted by shakespeherian at 8:51 PM on November 25, 2015 [3 favorites]

She has thrilled my heart many times. She was so sweet in Ozu's films. I'm sorry to see this news, but 95 is quite admirable.
posted by rmmcclay at 9:06 PM on November 25, 2015

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posted by Rash at 9:12 PM on November 25, 2015

The main character in Millennium Actress is partially based on her.
posted by pibeandres at 9:16 PM on November 25, 2015 [3 favorites]

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posted by Wolof at 11:36 PM on November 25, 2015

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I love Ozu's films deeply. It what got me truly hooked no only to japanese films but also to japanese culture in general. And if you love Ozu's films you fell in love with Setsuko Hara as well. There's a quote from Shusaku Endo in the wikipedia article that sum up my feeling perfectly :

"We would sigh or let out a great breath from the depths of our hearts, for what we felt was precisely this: Can it be possible that there is such a woman in this world?"
posted by SageLeVoid at 3:55 AM on November 26, 2015 [3 favorites]

Found this short video clip...really shows Satsuko Hara at her loveliest...

"Happiness comes only through effort" - Late Spring (1949, Yasujiro Ozu)
posted by rmmcclay at 4:37 AM on November 26, 2015

I watched "Late Spring" shortly after my son was born, and it's one of the few movies that has made me cry. Hara is great in it - somehow simultaneously luminous and clearly a star and entirely believable as the average, provincial young woman she played.
posted by ryanshepard at 4:45 AM on November 26, 2015

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posted by kram175 at 5:55 AM on November 26, 2015

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What a great actress. Go watch her movies if you don't know them.
posted by languagehat at 6:23 AM on November 26, 2015

A unique presence.

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posted by Sheydem-tants at 7:07 AM on November 26, 2015

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posted by gudrun at 7:09 AM on November 26, 2015

“Mysterious Japanese screen legend Setsuko Hara dies at 95,” Kyodo / The Japan Times, 26 November 2015
posted by ob1quixote at 8:08 AM on November 26, 2015

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posted by ormon nekas at 8:10 AM on November 26, 2015

“'Tokyo Story' star Setsuko Hara dies at 95,” AFP / Japan Today, 26 November 2015
posted by ob1quixote at 8:14 AM on November 26, 2015

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posted by shortfuse at 10:43 AM on November 26, 2015

Like others, I was totally enchanted by Setsuko Hara. I hope her post-retirement years were happy and her younger family members visited often.

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posted by chimpsonfilm at 10:56 AM on November 26, 2015

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posted by doctornemo at 12:34 PM on November 26, 2015

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posted by LobsterMitten at 9:31 PM on November 27, 2015