Banka

A tragic love triangle, rugged landscapes, raving music full of strings — and yet BANKA is not a classical melodrama. The relationships are too opaque for that, the characters too contradictory. Especially that of the young, independent Reiko (Yoshiko Kuga), who grew up without a mother and, with her outspoken, boyish behavior, does everything she can to either irritate or fascinate her environment. For example, architect Katsuragi (Masayuki Mori), with whom she starts an affair. At the same time, Reiko meets Katsuragi's wife Akiko (Mieko Takamine), to whom she is also attracted. Akiko, in turn, is in a relationship with a young student. Within the unstable constellations that Reiko shakes life-threatening with a confession, the ambiguous relationship between the two women comes to the fore particularly interestingly. (mg)