Suiren fujin to bara musume

When pickpocketing runs rampant, detectives step up their game. Yazaki, a detective at the Ohira Private Detective Agency who graduated from the University of Tokyo, bumps into a woman on a street corner. The woman turns out to be Asako, a female detective who works at his uncle Ryutaro’s private detective agency. Asako lives with her stepmother, Kiyoe, a young widow. The mother worries about her daughter’s marriage prospects, while the daughter worries about her mother’s job situation.

Directed by Shigeo Tanaka, Suiren fujin to bara musume leans on a strong ensemble — Mieko Takamine, Chizuru Kitagawa, Ichirō Ryūzaki — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1948.