The Japanese screen legend, Setsuko Hara, who has been not been seen in the movie industry for at least four decades, died on September 5 this year. However, the family only announced her death to the public on Wednesday.
The 95-year-old actress died due to pneumonia. The actress is best known for her role in Yasujiro Ozu's classic Tokyo Story which debuted in 1953.
Born Masae Aida in Yokohama on June 17, 1920, Setsuko Hara has retired from the movie industry in 1962.
The "legend" has appeared in more than 100 films, since her first appearance in 1935. Her breakthrough was in 1937 for The Daughter of the Samurai. However, she got famous due to her roles in six Ozu productions, including "her most well-known and highly regarded performance was her portrayal of the grieving widow Noriko - the name of a number of her characters in Ozu's films," the Hollywood Reporter said.
After World War II, the actress started working with directors like Akira Kurosawa (No Regrets For Our Youth) and Kozaburo Yoshimura (A Ball at the Anjo House). She also started collaborating with Ozu in 1949's In Late Spring. Since then, Ozu and the actress began working together on many projects.
The Daughter of the Samurai (New Earth), a German-Japanese co-production, was directed by Mansaku Itami and Arnold Fanck and was designed "to strengthen ties between the soon-to-be wartime allies." Unfortunately, the film - which had two versions - was not well received. Setsuko Hara last major role came in Hiroshi Inagaki's 1962 version of the classic samurai tale Chūshingura (47 Ronin).
After her retirement, Setsuko Hara lived alone in Kamakura, a former Japanese capital, 30 miles from Tokyo. It is the place where a number of Ozu films had been filmed and where the legendary director was buried.
Setsuko Hara was rarely seen in public since her decision to step out of the industry. She was not even able to attend her director's own funeral.
