Ozu takes a look at a very Westernized subarban Japan in the late 50's. It focuses mainly on the daily lives of a small community and the way its members interact. It also demonstrates the power of speech and the way in which small talk acts as a lubricant for our daily lives. Two boys beg their parents for a television set, nagging them until they order the boys to be quiet. And the boys do exactly that: refusing to utter a word. The boys' silence ultimately puts the whole neighborhood into turmoil. Beautiful film making with a delicate message.