The two couples in "Tokyo Story" and "Spring Riding..."

The relationship between Shukichi and Tomi in "Tokyo Story" is more peaceful than the one between the protagonist and his wife in "Spring Riding in a Carriage." Shukichi and Tomi appear to be partners in old age - they have spent several years together, and they try not to step onto any of their children's toes while they visit them. They are kind, patient, and selfless. Though they too must have had their troubles in their years (we see this when Tomi first hints at Shukichi's drinking days, and then see his drunken night out with friends) they are now at a point in their lives where they must live quietly and try to enjoy what their lives - and what their children's lives - have become. By contrast, while the characters in "Spring Riding in a Carriage" appear to be younger, death has hit them in a more dramatic and long-winded way, and it has strained their relationship. They are not peaceful, and they do not enjoy one another's company. They have worn each other out. The story itself is also told in a much more emotional fashion than "Tokyo Story" is - it goes right into the mind and emotions of the protagonist: he tells us directly his annoyances and anger about having to care for his wife. While I understood the situation and felt for two people who would be in that situation, I didn't always sympathize with the protagonist, maybe because he talked so directly about his burden without telling me more about what their relationship was really like. "Tokyo Story," on the other hand, shows who these people are, and is much more subtle in its emotional disclosure. It makes you feel and understand what the grandparents (and other family members) are going through without hysteria from any one character. It is elegant in handling emotional depth and therefore effective in its sadness and beauty.