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.
223 movies · 1 shows
Kinuyo Tanaka, a Woman We Talk About
2022·0.0
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
2009·4.0
Lullaby of the Earth
1976·6.4
Cape of the North
1976·9.0
Let's Go, Grandma!
1975·10.0
Kenji Mizoguchi: The Life of a Film Director
1975·7.2
Sandakan No. 8
1974·7.7
Sanbaba
1974·9.0
Tora-san's Dream-Come-True
1972·8.3
Red Beard
1965·8.2
Kono sora no aru kagiri
1964·0.0
The Scent of Incense
1964·7.2
Bright Sea
1963·9.0
Alone Across the Pacific
1963·7.0
A Legend or Was It?
1963·7.0
Double Wedding
1963·0.0
Mama, I Need You!
1962·0.0
The Fencing Master
1962·5.9
A Wanderer's Notebook
1962·7.2
Eternity of Love
1961·8.0
Her Brother
1960·7.1
The Three Treasures
1959·5.5
Chikamatsu's Love in Osaka
1959·5.3
Hahakogusa
1959·0.0
The Eternal Rainbow
1958·7.3
Equinox Flower
1958·7.4
The Ballad of Narayama
1958·7.5
Sorrow Is Only for Women
1958·8.0
On This Earth
1957·7.0
Geisha in the Old City
1957·10.0
Stepbrothers
1957·7.4
Yellow Crow
1957·6.7
Flowing
1956·7.2
The Storm
1956·8.5
Women in Prison
1956·4.0
How Sorrowful
1956·0.0
This Is Home
1956·0.0
Confession
1956·0.0
Forever a Woman
1955·7.7
Tsukiyo no kasa
1955·0.0
Shōnen shikeishū
1955·0.0
House of Many Pleasures
1955·9.0
The Moon Has Risen
1955·6.9
The Woman in the Rumor
1954·7.3
Five Sisters
1954·8.0
Sansho the Bailiff
1954·8.1
Love Letter
1953·6.8
An Heir's Place
1953·10.0
Ugetsu
1953·8.0
Where Chimneys Are Seen
1953·6.6
Sincere Heart
1953·6.4
Himitsu
1952·8.0
Mother
1952·7.0
The Ataka Family
1952·5.5
The Life of Oharu
1952·7.7
Sisters of Nishijin
1952·7.5
Story of Lightning
1951·10.0
The Lady of Musashino
1951·6.3
Miss Oyu
1951·7.2
Ginza Cosmetics
1951·6.5
The Inner Palace Conspiracy
1951·8.0
The Actress and the Detective
1950·0.0
The Munekata Sisters
1950·7.1
Wedding Ring
1950·6.6
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 2
1949·6.6
Yotsuya Ghost Story Part 1
1949·6.6
Flame of My Love
1949·5.4
A Hen in the Wind
1948·7.1
Women of the Night
1948·7.1
Phoenix
1947·6.4
The Love of the Actress Sumako
1947·7.0
Marriage
1947·7.7
Utamaro and His Five Women
1946·7.2
Victory of Women
1946·7.1
Kanojo no hatsugen
1946·0.0
A Tale of Archery at the Sanjusangendo
1945·5.9
Victory Song
1945·6.0
Miyamoto Musashi
1944·6.4
Army
1944·6.8
The Man Who Has Returned
1944·10.0
Air Raid of the Enemy Plane
1943·0.0
Kaisen no Zenya
1943·0.0
A Certain Woman
1942·7.0
Record of a Woman Doctor
1941·6.0
Ornamental Hairpin
1941·6.7
Flower
1941·0.0
Let's Go in Good Spirits
1941·0.0
Okinu and Banto
1940·10.0
Osaka Woman
1940·7.0
Seisen aiba fu: Akatsuki ni inoru
1940·0.0
Kinuyo's First Love
1940·7.5
Weeds with flowers
1939·0.0
Zoku aizen katsura
1939·8.0
Spring Thunder
1939·0.0
Okayo's Preparedness
1939·7.0
The Tree of Love
1938·7.0
Mother and Child
1938·0.0
Banchō sarayashiki
1937·0.0
A Man's Recompense: Part 2
1937·0.0
A Man's Recompense: Part 1
1937·0.0
Lady Doctor Kinuyo
1937·5.5
Song of the Flower Basket
1937·8.0
The New Road: Ryota
1936·7.5
The New Road: Akemi
1936·8.5
Men vs. Women
1936·7.0
Burden of Life
1935·6.6
Okoto and Sasuke
1935·6.8
An Innocent Maid
1935·7.0
My Elder Brother
1934·6.0
That Night's Woman
1934·10.0
Osayo Koi Sugata
1934·8.0
Storm in the City
1934·0.0
Honeymoon
1934·0.0
Constellations on Earth, Part 2: Constellations
1934·9.0
Constellations on Earth, Part One: Earth Chapter
1934·10.0
Sakura Ondo
1934·7.0
The Genealogy of Women
1934·10.0
Mother of the East
1934·7.0
Sôbô
1933·8.0
Daphne
1933·0.0
Before the Wedding
1933·0.0
The Road to Marriage
1933·0.0
Clear and Cloudy
1933·0.0
Dragnet Girl
1933·6.7
The Cheerleading Captain's Love
1933·8.0
Woman of Tokyo
1933·6.8
The Dancing Girl of Izu
1933·6.7
The Bride Talks in Her Sleep
1933·7.0
The Loyal 47 Ronin
1932·0.0
Storm Zone
1932·0.0
Where Now Are the Dreams of Youth?
1932·6.5
Love in Tokyo
1932·7.0
Shine, Japanese Women
1932·10.0
Studio Romance: A Guide to Love
1932·10.0
The Sun Rises from the East
1932·7.0
The Willows of Ginza
1932·9.0
My Brother's a Fool
1932·10.0
Victory or Defeat
1932·0.0
The Golden Demon
1932·0.0
Woman of Suffering
1931·0.0
ABC Lifeline
1931·6.7
ABC Lifeline: Fujieda Chapter
1931·0.0
The Tramp and His Daughter
1931·0.0
The Neighbour's Wife and Mine
1931·6.6
Sisters: Part 1
1931·0.0
Sisters: Part 2
1931·7.0
Cry Cheerfully!
1931·0.0
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 1
1931·7.0
Love, Be with Humanity: Part 2
1931·8.0
Young Lady
1930·8.0
Youth, Why Do You Cry?
1930·0.0
Record of Love and Desire
1930·9.0
The Tale of Kinuyo
1930·9.0
Mother, Don't Tarnish Your Name
1930·10.0
The Great Ship
1930·0.0
The Big City: Explosion
1930·0.0
Where Do Women Go?
1930·0.0
A Smiling Life
1930·10.0
I Flunked, But...
1930·5.9
Song of Youth
1930·0.0
Marching On
1930·10.0
The Beating
1930·0.0
Triumphant Song of the Mountain
1929·0.0
The Father and His Son
1929·10.0
I Graduated, But...
1929·5.8
Cheerful Song
1929·0.0
The Model of New Women
1929·0.0
The Big City: Labor
1929·9.0
The Village Where the Skylark Sings
1929·0.0
Him and Life
1929·8.0
Echigo Lion
1929·0.0
The Blacksmith of the Forest
1929·8.0
Symphony of Youth
1928·0.0
The Glory of the Shōwa Era
1928·0.0
King of the Land
1928·0.0
Thank You for Your Hard Work
1928·0.0
A Wife Quits
1928·0.0
The Face of Humanity
1928·7.0
What a Handsome Man!
1928·0.0
Iron Virgin
1928·0.0
The Eternal Heart
1928·0.0
Immortal Love
1928·0.0
The Age of Emotion
1928·8.0
The Village Bride
1928·8.0
If Only She...
1928·0.0
Chronicles of a Sea Country
1928·9.0
Modern Warrior Training
1928·0.0
Night is a Trickster
1927·0.0
Lovers' Suicide at Kiso
1927·0.0
Sankichi the Flying Squirrel
1927·0.0
The Oath of a Thousand Kills
1927·0.0
Madame Pearl
1927·0.0
Song of the Border Patrol
1927·0.0
Magic
1927·0.0
An Embarrassing Dream
1927·9.0
Takada no Baba
1927·0.0
The Harakiri at Tennōji
1927·0.0
The Basement
1927·0.0
Yakko no Koman
1927·0.0
Secret Struggle
1927·0.0
Her
1926·9.0
Flashing Blade
1926·0.0
Buried Youth
1926·0.0
The Complete Story of Jirocho Shimizu, Part 2: Ashura's Revenge
1926·0.0
Useless Button
1926·0.0
The Cursed Sword
1926·0.0
Love and Courage
1926·0.0
The Betrayed
1926·0.0
Torrent
1926·9.0
Young Master
1926·0.0
Oh! Carefree, Aren't You?
1926·0.0
Townspeople
1926·8.0
Troubled Days
1926·0.0
No Need for Your Opinion
1925·0.0
Fallen Samurai
1925·0.0
Love's Snare
1925·0.0
The Killing of a Hundred Men at Isshinji Temple
1925·0.0
Nature Is the Judge
1925·0.0
Brave Love
1925·0.0
Cry of the Raging Current
1925·0.0
The Little Traveling Entertainer
1925·0.0
Village Pasture
1924·7.0
A Woman from the Genroku Era
1924·0.0