Donald Richie
- The Films of Akira Kurosawa
Human beings are unable to be honest with themselves about themselves. They cannot talk about themselves without embellishing. This script portrays such human beings - the kind who cannot survive without lies to make them feel they are better people than they really are. It even shows this sinful need for flattering falsehood going beyond the grave, even the character who dies cannot give up his lies when he speaks to the living through a medium.
