Live musical accompaniment by Michael Mortilla.

Capitalizing on popular genres of the Shōwa period and coming off his twentieth feature as director, Yasujirō Ozu showcases his trademark empathy within the shomin-geki, or “common people drama,” with a film that is equal parts domestic drama, student comedy, and “salaryman” story centering patriarch Okajima, a low-income insurance salesman counting on his annual bonus to buy presents for his expectant family. Between the difficult authenticity of working-class life and reprieves of ingenious physical comedy, Tokyo Chorus is essential viewing for fans of King Vidor’s The Crowd, which Ozu cited as an inspiration.