In Street of Joy, Tatsumi Kumashiro deals with a group of prostitutes living in a bordelo shortly before the outlawing of prostitution in Japan in 1958. Kumashiro is sometimes compared to Mizoguchi for his insights into the female psyche; however, as Variety's Gene Moskowitz points out, “he does not moralize, and shows his women as living, funny characters.... His women ply their trade with a certain pride and rarely shame.” Street of Joy is among those roman poruno genre films (see April 7) distinguished by strong scripts and excellent performances. Junko Miyashita stars; the “Queen of Roman Porn” (Stroller in the Attic, A Woman Named Abe Sada), she is also a gifted and respected “legitimate” actress. The Japan Society notes that Kumashiro “has assembled a small repertory company of talented writers and technicians. Among his company is one of the finest cinematographers now working in Japan, Shinsaku Himeda.”