Warm Current is a remake of a prewar classic centered around the intrigues of a large urban hospital. But Masumura and scriptwriter Shirasaka rewrote the prescription for romance to include a healthy dose of skepticism and comic frankness, then increased the tempo to the breakneck pitch of an action film. The normally sober Sachiko Hidari gives an over-the-top performance as a young nurse, Gin, whose wartime childhood trauma now manifests itself in pathological giggles. Gin becomes a ruthless spy in the service of the new hospital director, handsome love interest and, in this version, smug reformer (Jun Negami). Non-sequiturs such as "I like you in white," spoken to a nurse, are an early tip-off that this is a send-up of the original love story. But Masumura's satire is always in the service of a hidden critique, so look for unexplained blood smudges on those crisp hospital uniforms.