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....This (film) broke a four-year hiatus that had been imposed by Ozu's induction into 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.