Street of Shame

Street of Shame , Akasen chitai? is a 1956 blackandwhite Japanese film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi. It is the personal tales of several Japanese women of different backgrounds who work together in a brothel. It was Mizoguchis last film.

Five female sex workers are employed at Dreamland, a licensed brothel near the SensjiTemple in Tokyos Yoshiwara district. As the Diet considers a ban on prostitution, the womens daily dramas play out. Each has dreams and motivations. Hanae is married, her husband unemployed they have a young child. Yumeko, a widow, uses her earnings to raise and support her son, whos now old enough to work and care for her. The aging Yorie has a man who wants to marry her. Yasumi saves money diligently to pay her debt and get out she also has a suitor who wants to marry her, but she has other plans for him. Mickey seems the most devilmaycare, until her father comes from Kobe to bring her news of her family and ask her to come home.

Source: Wikipedia