Downtown
During late 1950’s, TOHO produced series of short featurette, most of which were approximately an hour in length. These films were called “Diamond Series” and meant to be fillers for theatrical programs. In spite of their secondary status in terms of box office, the series called for seasoned directors, staffs and actors. “Shitamachi (下町)”(Downtown) is one of the best of the series, though rarely shown. In 1949, four years after the war, Tokyo was still in rubbles. It was a harsh environment for a woman looking for a decent job. Riyo (Isuzu Yamada) and her little son try to survive …