Physical Beauty (1928)
An early silent comedy from Yasujirō Ozu about a humiliated house-husband who picks up a paintbrush to reclaim his dignity.
Physical Beauty - Movie Information
- Original Title: 肉体美
- Release Year: 1928
- Directed by: Yasujirō Ozu
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Comedy
- Runtime: 55m
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: No Language, Japanese
- Release Date (Theatrical): December 1, 1928 (Japan)
- Alternative Titles: Nikutaibi (JP)
- Production Companies: Shochiku
- Production Countries: Japan
Physical Beauty - Plot
A hen-pecked man works as his artist wife's model and a house-husband. When her patron flirts with her and humiliates him, he decides to get revenge by trying his own hand as a painter. Considered to be a lost film.
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Physical Beauty - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Yasujirō Ozu
Main Cast
- Tatsuo Saitō
- Chōko Iida
- Kenji Kimura
- Kenji Oyama
- Chishū Ryū
- Takeshi Sakamoto
- Shinichi Himori
- Mitsuko Yoshikawa
Writers
- Akira Fushimi
Physical Beauty - FAQs
What is Physical Beauty (1928) about?
Physical Beauty follows a put-upon husband who serves as his artist wife's live-in model and house-husband. When her wealthy patron begins flirting with her and openly humiliates him, he decides to fight back by picking up a paintbrush himself. It's a sharp, playful early comedy from Yasujirō Ozu.
Is Physical Beauty considered a lost film?
Yes, Physical Beauty is widely considered a lost film. No known surviving print has been located, which makes it one of many early Ozu silents that film historians can only study through contemporary reviews, production records, and cast documentation rather than the film itself.
Who directed Physical Beauty in 1928?
Physical Beauty was directed by Yasujirō Ozu, one of the most celebrated filmmakers in Japanese cinema history. In 1928 Ozu was still early in his career at Shochiku, experimenting with comedy and genre before developing the minimalist style he became famous for later in life.
Who stars in Physical Beauty (1928)?
The film stars Tatsuo Saitō as the long-suffering husband Ichirô Takai and Chōko Iida as his wife Ritsuko. Kenji Kimura plays the meddlesome patron Denuemon Okura. Notably, a young Chishū Ryū also appears — an actor who would go on to become one of Ozu's most enduring collaborators.
Where can you watch Physical Beauty online?
Because Physical Beauty is considered a lost film, no streaming version is currently known to exist. You can check JustWatch for any updated availability in your region, as new restorations or archival discoveries occasionally surface for early silent films.
Is Physical Beauty part of Ozu's early silent period?
Absolutely. Physical Beauty belongs to Ozu's prolific silent era at Shochiku studios, when he was directing multiple films per year across comedy and drama. Released in December 1928, it predates his internationally recognized masterworks by decades and reflects his early interest in domestic comedy and gender dynamics.
What is the runtime of Physical Beauty (1928)?
Physical Beauty runs approximately 55 minutes — a fairly typical length for a silent comedy short feature of the late 1920s. Silent films of this era were often compact by modern standards, relying on visual gags and intertitles to tell their stories efficiently.
Who wrote the screenplay for Physical Beauty?
The screenplay for Physical Beauty was written by Akira Fushimi, a prolific screenwriter who collaborated frequently with Ozu during the director's early years at Shochiku. Fushimi contributed to numerous Ozu projects in the late silent and early sound periods of Japanese cinema.
More About Physical Beauty
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