Odd Obsession

Kenmochi (Ganjiro Nakamura), who thinks no one knows about his regimen of virility treatments, encounters their maid, then his much younger wife Ikuko (Machiko Kyo), then their daughter (Junko Kano), who’s kind of engaged to his doctor, in Kon Ichikawa’s provocative Odd Obsession, 1959.

Only Kenmochi (Ganjiro Nakamura) knows what he’s up to, having gotten his wife (Machiko Kyo) drunk at dinner, exposing her to handsome family friend Kimura (Tatsuya) Nakadai, who’s somewhat involved with his daughter (Junko Kano), all in order to arouse his own passion, in Kon Ichikawa’s Odd Obsession, 1959.

Director and co-screenwriter Kon Ichikawa’s clever opening, Tatsuya Nakadai as young doctor Kimura, first addressing the camera, then tending to somewhat aged patient Kenmochi (Ganjiro Nakamura), who apparently has virility issues, in Odd Obsession, 1959.