'RASHOMON' ACTRESS MACHIKO KYO NO MORE!

Japanese Cinema's first female star..beautiful actress Machiko Kyo!

Legendary Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's world famous movie 'Rashomon's (1950) actress Machiko Kyo passed away recently!

Machiko Kyo & Toshiro Mifune in Kurosawa's great film 'Rashomon' (1950).

At the age of 12.. 
Kyo started acting on stage with adopted name Machiko..And performed as..
revue dancer also! In 1949 she entered in cinema through 'Daiei Film Co.', Japan. Next year renowned Japanese filmmaker..
Akira Kurosawa introduced her in the female lead of his psychological film 'Rashomon'. In this she played the role of Samurai's wife who suffer in trauma due to bandit. And her sensuous & very expressive performance in it catched the attention of viewers!

Actor Toshiro Mifune, actress Machiko Kyo, filmmaker Akira Kurosawa &

actor Masayuki Mori at 'Daiei Studios',Japan during making 'Rashomon' (1950)

'Rashomon' received various awards and through this.. Japanese cinema came on the world stage. This film won 'Golden Lion' in Venice Film Festival & Oscar's honorary 'most outstanding foreign language film'! With this Machiko Kyo became Japan's..
first internationally recognized film star! 

Famous American actor Marlon Brando & Japanese actress Machiko Kyo 

in film 'The Teahouse of the August Moon' (1956).

She also acted in films made by other directors. In this her roles in Kenji Mizoguchi's 'Ugetsu' (1953), Kon Ichikawa's 'Odd Obsession' and Yasujiro Ozu's 'Floating Weeds' (1959) were notable. Meanwhile she also acted in non-Japanese film 'The Teahouse of the August Moon' (1956) with famous Marlon Brando! And Yoji Yamada made 'Tora's Pure Love' (1976) was her last appearance on big screen!

After that she worked for television dramas like 'Hissatsu Shimainin' (1981). Her final role was Matsuura Shino in TV serial 'Haregi Koko- Ichiban' (2000).

She received Japanese Academy's 'award of merit'. And 'Medal with Purple Ribbon' (1987) & 'Order of the Precious Crown' (1994).

Homage to this legendary Japanese Actress!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

  ['Chitrasrushti']