Women of the Night

Yoru no Onnatachi (Women of the Night) was one of three Kenji Mizoguchi films entered into competition at the 1957 Venice Film Festival. Like the other two Mizoguchi efforts (Uwasa no Onna, Mushashino Ujin), the film was several years old; in this case, it was completed in 1948. Like many of the director's best films, Yoru no Onnatachi is a pro-feminist tract, set principally in a Japanese bagnio, or legalized brothel. The story centers around two sisters who are forced into prostitution to survive. The film's climax takes place in a kangaroo court presided over by whores, wherein the two women are accused of being traitors to their class.~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide