W's Tragedy

is a 1984 Japanese film directed by Shinichirō Sawai, based on the novel by Shizuko Natsuki (published in English under the title Murder at Mt. Fuji). At the 9th Japan Academy Prize it won three awards and received three other nominations. Plot Natsuki's original book W no Higeki, the story of a rich family torn apart by the murder of their patriarch, and their heiress being accused of the crime, becomes a play and is acted out by a troupe of actors in Osaka. The role of the heroine is contended for by young Shizuka Mita (Yakushimaru), who dreams of fame and fortune. Shizuka is taken under the wing of famous actress Sho Hatori (Y. Mita), whose rich patron died in her arms one night, and who agrees to let Shizuka stand in for her. As the play is acted out, Shizuka realizes that many scenes in the play begin to have parallels with real life... The film takes the form of a story within a story, in which the original book's characters are acted out by the film's characters. Cast Hiroko Yakushimaru as Shizuka Mita, who plays rich heiress Mako Watsuji on stage Yoshiko Mita as Sho Hatori, who plays Mako's mother Yoshie Watsuji Masanori Sera as Akio Morita, Shizuka's boyfriend and mentor off stage Kunihiko Mitamura as Jun Godai, who plays investigator Ukyo Nakazato Miho Takagi as Kaori Kikuchi, the actress Shizuka relegated from the Mako role Ken Nishida as Koji Shirota, who plays Shohei Mazaki, the victim's doctor Kōjirō Kusanagi as Kaichi Kiuchi, who plays Shigeru Watsuji, Mako's grand-uncle