Now i was thinking up some films with this subject as a major theme, and turns out many of my favourite, + the greatest, films, particularly by Mizoguchi, cover it (to varying degrees, in different ways).

Sansho the Bailiff
Ugetsu Monogatari
The Life of Oharu
Story of the Late Chrysanthemums
Osaka Elegy
Tales of the Taira Clan
Lady of Musashino
Chikamatsu Monogatari
The Loyal 47 Ronin
Yang Kwei Fei
Miss Oyu
A Geisha
Street of Shame
Five Women around Utamaro...

of course it's not too surprising in Mizo's case, given his background- alienation from father, sister given up for adoption/sold to geisha house, mother died in his teens.

+
Paris Texas
Alice in the Cities
The Searchers
Tokyo Story
Late Spring
The Only Son
Eternity and a Day
Apu trilogy
Dumbo
Citizen Kane
L'Atalante
Spirited away
Blue Velvet
Yeelen
Fanny and Alexander
Marnie
East of Eden
Sunrise
Night of the Hunter
It's a Wonderful Life
The New World
Raise the Red Lantern
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Central Station
Star Wars/The Empire strikes back
Madchen in Uniform
David Copperfield
It Happened one Night
The Wizard of Oz
La Belle et la Bete
Yol
Umrao Jaan
Pakeezah
Cloud-capped Star
Kikujiro
The Return
Ben Hur
Ballad of a Soldier
The 400 Blows
L'Avventura
Gertrud
Finding Nemo
Five Easy Pieces
A.I.Artificial Intelligence
Sophie's Choice
Ran
Come and See
Au revoir les Enfants
If
Innocence
The Godfather
My Life as a Dog
Bashu the little Stranger
The Horse Thief
The Last Emperor
Toy Story
The Outlaw Josey Wales
Monday Morning
Dogville
Far from Heaven
The Pianist
Million Dollar Baby
Nobody Knows
L'Enfant
The Human Condition
Tom Jones
Secrets and Lies
The Kid
Story of the Weeping Camel

+ separation from loved ones:
The General
Casablanca
Hiroshima mon amour
The Age of Innocence
Doctor Zhivago
The English Patient
A Very Long Engagement

seems to hit a general nerve...

other films in this line? Or other major themes of great/popular films?