The Most Beautiful
Directed by Akira Kurosawa
Plot
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.
Where to watch
See on TMDB
Criterion Channel
PlexAvailability for your country · JustWatch data via TMDB.
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
Sayuri Tanima
Yuriko Tanimura, vice president of women workers
Sachiko Ozaki
Sachiko Yamazaki
Shizuko Nishigaki
Fusae Nishioka
Asako Suzuki
Asako Suzumura
Haruko Toyama
Masako Koyama
Aiko Masu
Tokiko Hiroda
Kazuko Hitomi
Kazuko Futomi
Shizuko Yamada
Hisae Yamaguchi
Itoko Kono
Sue Okabe
Emiko Rei
Chie Shima (uncredited)