本片是山中貞雄的遺作，也是他的“時代劇的庶民電影”的代表作之一。他在片中吸取了美國電影和法國電影的影響，并受到摯友兼老師小津安二郎的“小庶民電影 ”美學(xué)影響，將歷史上江戶時代的小人物形像注入現(xiàn)代庶民的語言、性格、行止、靈魂，成就了一部難得的社會現(xiàn)實主義的佳作。故事發(fā)生於十八世紀(jì)德川幕府時代，以悲涼調(diào)子訴說德川幕府時期低下層的生活，開頭與結(jié)尾都是自殺場景，映照出舊時日本社會草根階層的悲哀。另外，山中的剪輯流暢自如，視覺風(fēng)格鋒如日本繪畫，演員表演也很自然。此片公認為山中最好的作品，也是他僅存的三部電影之一。 　　Humanity and Paper Balloons,unlike most other Japanese films of this period,is a historical film with a critical edge.Refusing to glorify samurai,the film insteaddeflates the myth around them with a gentle humanity. The film opens directly after a penurious ronin samurai has taken his own life.At his funeral his neighbors from his slum mourn his death. Here the film introduces another ronin samurai who lives in equal poverty. Having pawned his sword for food,the samurai searches for work but to no avail. The familys only income comes from the little balloon childrens toys made by the wife.Out of desperation,the samurai abets in an attempted kidnapping. After finding out,the wife kills him in his sleep and then takes her own life, closing the films narrative circle. 　　Brian Whitener, All Movie Guide.