This many-layered mystery is only one of a series of crime-laced dramas in which the great (if still largely unheralded) director Yoshitarô Nomura adapted stories by Seichô Matsumoto, one of Japan’s foremost writers of mystery fiction. Newlywed bride Teiko Uhara sees her husband Kenichi off on one last business trip to his old office in Kanazawa; she eagerly anticipates his return, so they can start their new life together. But Kenichi mysteriously vanishes. When the police move too slowly, resourceful and tenacious Teiko begins her own investigation. She gradually realizes she barely knew the man she married. In true noir fashion, her search uncovers buried secrets some people will kill to protect. Nomura’s storytelling technique, seamlessly integrating flashbacks into the present-day action, is remarkably advanced for the time. A female-centric story that’s more slow-burning character study than thriller, the terrific performances and artful technique make the film a tense and spellbinding experience.