Hara Kiri (1928)

Genres - Drama  |   Sub-Genres - Psychological Drama  |   Countries - France, United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
  • AllMovie Rating
  • User Ratings (0)
  • Your Rating

Share on

Synopsis by Hal Erickson

Actress Marie-Louis Iribe was producer, director and star of the steamy melodrama Hara-Kiri. Iribe plays Nicole, a European woman who marries Asian aristocrat Professor Daomi (Constant Remy). Unable to accommodate herself to her husband's strict religious beliefs, Nicole begins an affair with Prince Fujiwua (Liao Szi-Yen). Despite Daomi's warnings that any such romance is foredoomed by the Greater Powers, Nicole accompanies the Prince on a vacation to the Alps. Sure enough, the Prince is killed while mountain climbing, requiring the services of an expert in Japanese religious rituals to preside over the funeral. Professor Daomi is called in for this purpose, leading to an acrimonious "reunion" with his wife. Feeling ashamed for her rash behavior, Nicole attempts to commit suicide but is prevented from doing so. Still, she remains obsessed with the notion of ending her life in traditional "hara-kiri" fashion -- but succeeds only when she bypasses the ceremonial knife in favor of a gun. Standing impassively over his wife's dead body, Daomi finally finds it in his heart to forgive her.