

There Was a Father
1942, Japanese. Directed by Yasujirō Ozu.
Shuhei Horikawa, a poor schoolteacher, struggles to raise his son Ryohei by himself, despite neither money nor prospects.
- Runtime
- 1h 33m
- Post-credits
- None listed
- Language
- Japanese
- Rated
- Check local
Start now and it ends at ….
Worth the Hype
Clear your evening for this.
7.0/10 from 88 TMDB viewer ratings.
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Where to watch There Was a Father
There Was a Father isn’t on a subscription OTT platform in India, but you can watch it free online.
Free
Availability in India as of 11 November 2026. Streaming data by JustWatch.
Cast & crew
- Yasujirō OzuDirector
- Chishū RyūShuhei Horikawa
- Shūji SanoRyohei Horikawa
- Haruhiko TsudaYoung Ryohei
- Shin SaburiYasutaro Kurokawa
- Takeshi SakamotoMakoto Hirata
- Mitsuko MitoFumi
- Shinichi HimoriMinoru Uchida
- Seiji NishimuraPriest
- Reikō TaniTeacher of Chinese Literature
- Kanji KawaraTeacher of Junior High School
- Yûsuke KurataTeacher of Junior High School
- Kenichi MiyajimaCompany Employee
Details
- Released
- 1 April 1942
- Original title
- 父ありき
- Country
- Japan
- Written by
- Tadao Ikeda, Takao Yanai, Yasujirō Ozu
Check ratings elsewhere
News & fan talk
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There Was a Father: quick answers
Is There Was a Father worth watching?
Our verdict is Worth the Hype: Clear your evening for this. It scores 7.0/10 from 88 TMDB viewer ratings.
How long is There Was a Father?
There Was a Father runs 93 minutes (1h 33m).
Does There Was a Father have a post-credits scene?
None is listed for There Was a Father. Viewers tag these on TMDB, so a brand-new film may not be tagged yet.
There Was a Father parents guide: is it suitable for kids?
No age rating is listed for There Was a Father yet.
Which OTT platform is There Was a Father on?
There Was a Father isn’t on a subscription OTT platform in India, but you can watch it free online. (Checked 11 November 2026.)
What movies are like There Was a Father?
If you liked There Was a Father, try Daddy Longlegs, I Never Sang for My Father, Death of a Salesman.
Who directed There Was a Father?
There Was a Father (1942) was directed by Yasujirō Ozu and stars Chishū Ryū, Shūji Sano, Haruhiko Tsuda.