First-Rate Wife, Third-Rate Husband

Natsuko Kayama, an authority in the beauty industry and once known as Miss Tokyo, is a first-class wife. Her husband, Senkichi, on the contrary, is a good-natured man and slow-witted. They are rarely seen together, and others often criticize them for being too boring and uninteresting.

Directed by Kiyoshi Komori, First-Rate Wife, Third-Rate Husband leans on a strong ensemble — Yūnosuke Itō, Yukiko Todoroki, Keiju Kobayashi — 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 comedy titles of 1953.