The Most Beautiful

Overview

Young women at a precision optics factory in wartime Japan push to exceed production quotas, enduring illness, injury, and personal hardship to “serve the country.” Led by Tsuru Watanabe, they fight fatigue and setbacks to keep their line moving—even when duty collides with grief.

Directed by Akira Kurosawa

Top cast

Takashi Shimura

Chief Goro Ishida

Shōji Kiyokawa

Soichi Yoshikawa, Chief of General Affairs Section

Ichirō Sugai

Ken Shinda, Chief of Labor Section

Takako Irie

Noriko Mizushima, dorm mother

Yôko Yaguchi

Tsuru Watanabe, president of women workers

S

Sayuri Tanima

Yuriko Tanimura, vice president of women workers

Sachiko Ozaki

Sachiko Yamazaki

Shizuko Nishigaki

Fusae Nishioka

Asako Suzuki

Asako Suzumura

H

Haruko Toyama

Masako Koyama

A

Aiko Masu

Tokiko Hiroda

Kazuko Hitomi

Kazuko Futomi

Shizuko Yamada

Hisae Yamaguchi

Itoko Kono

Sue Okabe

E

Emiko Rei

Chie Shima (uncredited)

H

Haruko Mii

Haruko Kawai (uncredited)

M

Minori Toyohara

Minori Yoyota (uncredited)

E

Eiko Hirayama

Yoshiko Shirayama (uncredited)

H

Harue Yamashita

Kiyo Mishima (uncredited)

M

Mineko Mashiro

Mineko Bando (uncredited)

Details