"The patriarch of the wealthy Toda family dies unexpectedly just after the clan has gathered for a photograph. His death leaves his sons and daughters in a financial bind and none of them wants the responsibility of taking care of their mother and youngest sister, whom they think should learn to be independent, but whom they would hate to see lowered to working for a living. Their mother complicates matters by her reluctance to impose on her family and her embarrassment about handling money.... This second of Ozu's films about the prosperous folk of Kojimachi (one of Tokyo's most affluent neighborhoods) broke a four-year hiatus that had been imposed by Ozu's induction into the army.... The public was particularly taken with Mieko Takamine's portrayal of the spunky (younger sister) Setsuko.... Donald Richie has (noted that) the public was getting accustomed to family films because the government was pushing them.... The difference between (Ozu's) and the ordinary 'national effort' wartime product was that his continued to be honest.... As for Ozu's return to the studio from the army, it was wryly noted by his colleagues that he spent his conscripted time well: mostly watching American films that had been banned at home and captured abroad...." David Owens, Japan Society The original negative of this film did not survive the bombing of Tokyo unscathed, thus all surviving prints contain some damage.