Temple of the Golden Pavilion

Because of the boyhood trauma of seeing his mother make love to another man in the presence of his dying father, Mizoguchi becomes a hopeless stutterer. Taunted by his schoolmates, he feels utterly alone untill he becomes an acolyte at a famous temple in Kyoto, where he develops an all-consuming obsession with the temple's beauty.

Din cauza traumei din copilarie de a-si vedea mama facand dragoste cu un alt barbat in prezenta tatalui sau pe moarte, Mizoguchi devine un balbait fara speranta. Batjocorit de colegii sai de scoala, el se simte complet singur pana cand devine acolit la un templu faimos din Kyoto, unde dezvolta o obsesie atot-consumatoare pentru frumusetea templului.