Red Beard - Criterion Collection

• Red Beard - Criterion Collection ( DVD ) When critics and film buffs talk about the legendary Akira Kurosawa , they usually focus on how he influenced American cinema , or his deep philosophical undertones . While those topics merit discussion ( and books ) , I think those same critics and film buffs forget to mention just how entertaining Kurosawa was . You can spend months dissecting each brilliant camera shot and subtle ideals , but what about those precious hours where all you have to do is watch the screen ? To appreciate Akira Kurosawa's impact on cinema requires you to believe a very simple truth : There is more than one way to be excited , to be moved , and to be entertained . If you can accept that principle and are ready to challenge your moviegoing senses , then the work of Kurosawa will possibly change your life as it has mine . I'm not gonna call Kurosawa the greatest filmmaker who ever lived , because a couple of his pieces ( particularly his latest work ) just don't do it for me . But I will say that when the Japanese legend managed to reach me , no other filmmaker inspired me more as a person . My favorite example is RED BEARD , a very gentle and uplifting story of loyalty , maturity , friendship , and hundreds of other synonyms I could throw at you . During the opening credits , you think you know what you're getting into . The gentle music , the peaceful shots of calm rooftops , the sounds of nature . . . at the outset , you're right . RED BEARD begins as sentimental as its musical score implies . The peaceful tone continues as we're introduced to the young Dr . Yasumoto , a brilliant intern who instead of being sent to practice at a prestigous government office , is assigned to a poor village . Yasumoto is to work under Dr . Niide , a man who's basically the mentor we all wish we could have . Niide ( aka Red Beard ) is firm , wise , strong , and patient . RED BEARD's main story is Yasumoto's appreciation for life and humility . Of course , like any great film , RED BEARD gradually reveals layer after layer , theme after theme , character after character , & brilliant scene after brilliant scene . What I want to make clear is that RED BEARD isn't just a character drama . It's a jack-of-all-trades . There are several harrowing scenes where the doctors have to treat patients , none of them excessive or overly grotesque . The story is romantic , but in a believable and respectable way . There are even a few scenes of violence : one a suspenseful attack , the other an unexpected fight sequence . I promise you that while the choregraphy of the violence is thrilling , the aftermath to each is even more of pleasure to watch . RED BEARD also briefly addresses issues like class politics and domestic values . Kurosawa often explored the different classes in his films , but in most of his samurai films , he was incredibly cynical about the tension between them . Contrary to American sociology , the lower class is often reviled more in his films than the upper class . Although no character in a Kurosawa flick was perfect , we often sympathized with the stronger protagonists , rather than the weaker subordinates . Another Kurosawa norm is the overacting ; detractors sometimes can't get into Kurosawa's films because the actors seem to ' speak ' their emotions rather than ' perform ' their behavior . RED BEARD breaks these traditions . The performances are more grounded and less theatrical . The tone is generally light ; the tunnel never gets dark without a light at the end of it . And frankly , I don't think I've ever been more moved by a story in my entire life . There's a perfectly-executed sequence in the middle act , where two souls heal each other in the most unusual way . To give away the rest would be unfair to you , but even if you read the entire plot , RED BEARD wouldn't be any better or worse for you . Most of RED BEARD's detractors focus on its time length . The film is 185 minutes long . It might be a few minutes too long , but then again there's no such thing as a perfect film . Kurosawa isn't in any hurry to tell his story , but that doesn't mean he didn't pace himself . If everything I've read about Kurosawa's techniques is true - and I believe they are - no filmmaker showed more discipline to his craft than Kurosawa . Even respected greats like Martin Scorsese , Robert Altman , and Sidney Lumet would tell you no other filmmaker was more dedicated or selective with his style . There are thousands of classics with worse flaws ; RED BEARD's flaws are literally a matter of minutes . The Criterion DVD includes only two extras . First is a theatrical trailer , which honestly isn't anything special other than a peek at 1960s movie marketting . But the other bonus - and I do mean BONUS - is a stunning feature-length commentary track by Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince . I've listened to this man speak on 6 Kurosawa films ' DVDs , and this is just as great as his other tracks . He analyzes shot sequences , historical background , behind-the-scenes issues , scene composition , philosophy , & hundreds of other factoids I can't remember . Prince talks endlessly throughout the film , but not because he loves the sound of his own voice . He keeps speaking because he knows that 185 minutes isn't enough time to do RED BEARD justive . Simply put , Stephen Prince knows how to turn a skeptic into a believer . Trust me , I've walked away lukewarm from a couple Kurosawa classics , only to have Prince challenge my criticisms . RED BEARD's plot description doesn't look like much on the surface , but no summary does any film justice . What should persuade you to check out RED BEARD is how it's inspired and moved the curious few who've watched it . The Internet Movie Database ( IMDB ) reports only 3000 + voters have scored this film ; the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films have over 100,000 votes each . It's lost masterpieces like RED BEARD that the Criterion Collection exists . Criterion sometimes releases works of art that only the most educated cryptologists and historians can apprecate - - - RED BEARD is not one of them . Even though it's in black-and-white with subtitles , it's as commerical and accessible as any true classic . I'm convinced you will walk away from this film a better human being .
• 001 4  While the film is long , as many other reviewers have pointed out , it is not too long . It holds up , better than many contemporary American films with the same running time . This film wonderfully displays the silent grace and dignity Mifune plays so well . To see just how good he actually is , watch this , then watch Seven Samurai . His range is incredible . Every one of his characters is so different , all the way down to their walk . But , back to Red Beard . Like all Kurosawa films , there are some very memorable shots stylistically , and the acting is top-notch . There are many stories within the main plot , and they are all tied together very well . It isn't like a vignette piece . Each of the characters is related in one way or another . This is definitely an emotional tale , and made me feel for the characters and cheer for the compassion one human being can show to another . There isn't much humor here , like some of his other films , but it really isn't called for . If you come across the DVD from Mei-ah , do not buy it . The subtitles are horribly translated .
• 002 4  You often hear They don't make movies like this anymore , and in this case I believe it's true . With Red Beard , Kurosawa has tackled a subject which in past eras was coated with schmaltz , and in the current state of cinema , is avoided altogether : the nature of individual goodness in the face of want , inequality and privilege . Modern-day film makers in the West seem fearful of any emotions other than romantic desire , violent retribution or a hip self-referencing irony / ennui . Here , Mifune portrays a man who distains admiration for his own sacrifices while adhering to his own high standards of individual behavior . He's not above wheedling and even a bit of suggestive blackmail to raise funds for his clinic . In typical Mifune fashion , he manages to make a nearly saintly doctor an anti-hero who rubs almost everyone the wrong way . The film is shot in black-and-white , and features many haunting images . Of special note is the scene in which Mifune attempts to break through the protective shell of an abandoned young girl . A young doctor has been trying to give her a spoonful of medicine ; he quits after she slaps his hand away three times . Mifune takes over , and the girl continues to slap the proffered medicine away - - once , twice , trice ; Mifune expresses an array of emotions in the simple act of trying once again . Finally , on the seventh attempt , the girl accepts the medicine . The quiet authenticity of this moment is rare in film .
• 003 4  This 1965 film is the story of a young doctor under the tutelage a compassionate but strict country doctor . It was Kurosawa's last black & white film and also , sadly , the last film he did with Toshiro Mifune , who plays the title character , the man who runs a clinic for the poor . Yasumoto , the arrogant and self-absorbed young doctor , resents being sent to this backward place , but as the action unfolds he learns more about the people wo need help and more about what it means to be a doctor . Exactly halfway through the film Yatsumo dons the robes of a clinic doctor , having decided that Red Beard is a worthy mentor . We also learn the stories of several patients in depth , and these are heartbreaking . Mifune is charismatic and subdued ( though Kurosawa unleashes him in a fight scene at a brothel , which is a pleasure to behold ) , playing a quiet man with as much intensity as he plays his usual samurai roles . . As expected , the direction and cinematography are beautiful , and your enjoyment of this will be enhanced by Stephen Prince's insightful commentary . The film's trailer is also included . Dialogue is Japanese with English subtitles . Highly recommended .
• 004 4  I dare you people out there . Kurosawa's most inspiring work is one breathtaking 3 hour ride into the hearts and minds of clinical doctors that has still not been matched by any ER episode . Every frame in this piece looks and feels beautiful , and thank you to Criterion for doing so . I haven't seen a Kurosawa film that has been remastered to this degree . It will be a hard one to follow-up on quality . I actually would recommmend this film to people who loved Amelie . Why ? Both are incredibly inspiring movies , but Red Beard is on the other side of the spectrum . It deals with death , despair , incurable illness within the heart , but by the end of the film , you are more inspired by the will to live , to make something of yourself that you never felt before . That is what Kurosawa wanted to make , and he truly went for it on his last black and white film . The irony of what happens 5 years later . He was only human as we were . We love and miss you Kurosawa-Kantoku . Best shot / sequence : Here's where Kurosawa does his best . The scene where Chobo is dying and the maids are yelling down the well , the camera tilts down from the faces of the maids into the reflection of water at the bottom of the well , but gives the illusion that the camera has shifted to the bottom of the well looking up at the maids . With a single teardrop from Otoyo hitting the face of the water , then we realize that the camera is actually hidden above them . Genuine masterwork .
• 005 4  While a Kurosawa fan , I had largely only seen his samurai epics , with Rashomon being the notable exception . When I saw he made a film about medicine , it piqued my curiosity and I am much richer for it . In the movie , an arrogant young physician , Dr . Yasumoto unwilling works in a charity clinic with Dr . Niide , a.k.a . , Red Beard , who is played by Toshiro Mifune in his last role in a Kurosawa film . This film is also the last black and white movie Kurosawa shot , and is a beautiful coda to this phase of Kurosawa's work . The use of lighting in particular has great symbolic and aesthetic effect as we watch Dr . Yasumoto learn medicine and compassion under Red Beard's tutelage . Kurosawa does not pull many punches with 19th Century medicine : we sit with the physicians as they listen to the final breaths of a dying patient and watch a woman thrash against restraints as Red Beard operates on her in an era without anesthetics . We hear stories of sexual abuse and see all the warts of human existence , but we do so with a tough compassion and charity that is profoundly stirring . Kurosawa is not just a great director and artist , but a skilled psychologist and lover of mankind . This movie deserves to be ranked with other Kurosawa masterpieces like the Seven Samurai , Ran , and Rashomon .
• 006 4  For those of you who don't know , Red Beard is without a doubt the last film of Kurosawa that is absolutely exceptional . Moreover , this film marks the end of many things for the director . First of all , this is the last movie where he works with Mifune . He spent nearly two years making this ! It's understandable that they probably had their differences , which must have put quite a strain in their relationship . Red Beard is also Kurosawa's last black and white film . To most film fans of this genre , this is believed to also be his last film that shows so much emotion and complexity towards humans . One of the things I enjoyed most about this film was the cinematography . There are so many awesome scenes that Kurosawa films through wide lenses and long takes ( Which I love ) . The musical score varies in emotion . This also has one of my favorite endings from a Kurosawa movie . While Seven Samurai had to be one of his best , this one was made after more than twenty years of experience from the most famous director in Japan , if not the world . In other words , Red Beard is the highest point of cinematic perfection for Akira Kurosawa .
• 007 4  This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film . Red Beard released in Japan with the title Akahige is Kurosawa's final black and white film . It is also the final collaboration with famed Japanese actor , Toshiro Mifune . Mifune stars as late 19th century medical clinic director , Dr . Kyojio Akahige Niide . The film portrays post graduate training done by a medical school graduate , Noboru Yasumoto who is having an internship at the clinic . This clinic is in a very rural area and therefore looks like one of an even earlier time . He helps out in several ways and eventually rescues an abused woman from a local brothel . The film has some fine scenes and excellent photography . There are some scenes which squeamish audiences will probably not like . The most likely scene to upset people is a non-graphic scene where a nude woman is having surgery while conscious but drugged , and from the dialogue , I assume it is an appendectomy . The film remains poplar and is a good portrayal of 19th century medecine in the East . The are also 2 special features on the DVD . There is a theatrical trailer and audio commentary by Stephen Prince , a noted scholar on Kurosawa films . This is a good film for doctors , historians , and of course , Kurosawa fans .
• 008 4  In my opinion , this is one of Akira Kurosawa's best films , which means it is automatically a classic of world cinema . As way of introduction , I would personally say of myself that I am bit of a cynic - I certainly do not expect a movie to ' change my life ' . Movies are meant as entertainment , and one shouldn't look for more than that in a flick . In the case of this film , however , I have seen something on the screen which has changed my perspective on things . I was deeply touched by the message of compassion in this film ; not compassion as merely ones duty , or the contemptuous compassion of pity , but compassion as way of life . Compassion as a way of confirming the value of life . This is a powerful message - and a message that lingers long after the film is finished . It is inevitable that any story that attempts to convey a moral or an idea be a bit ' preachy ' - the story will always find itself somewhat in service of the parable . But , as noted above , this is a Kurosawa film . We are in the hands of a master storyteller here , and it shows in every frame , every scene and in every performance , especially that of Toshiro Mifune . Kurosawa once again uses Mifune as the glue to hold a film together , and he once again delivers . Every performance in here is a gem , many of them given by actors Kurosawa has favored in other films . But these are all but planets to Mifune's sun . By any measure this is a great film . As with Seven Samurai , the length of the film is never felt to be excessive , as each moment of the movie is used to tell a compelling story . I feel fortunate that this film has finally been made available on DVD , where I will have the opportunity to enjoy it in years to come . Highly recommended .
• 009 4  Akira Kurosawa said about his film Akahige , I had something special in mind when I made this film because I wanted to make something that my audience would want to see it , something so magnificent that people would just have to see it . Humanistic and compassionate , the film tells the story of a young doctor who after graduation from the Dutch Medical School in Nagasaki hopes to become a member of the court medical staff but instead has to take a post as an intern at a Public Clinic for the impoverished patients . The clinic is run by Dr . Nide ( Toshiro Mifune ) whom the destitute patients call Red Beard . The long and difficult journey awaits the young doctor - from the initial shock and denial to work at the clinic , to learning how to understand his patients , care for them s and see the humans in them . Kurosawa describes the film , one of his directorial pinnacles as a monument to the goodness in man . It also can be called a monument to his talent and humanism .
• 010 4  In addition to being about the relationship between the young and old doctors , Red Beard is Kurosawa's can-opener for the Japanese psyche , with which he gently urges very private people everywhere to recognize how many hold deep hidden suffering inside them , which makes them ill , and the value of sharing those secrets . Again and again , the movie is about how hidden secrets make people sick , and how the old doctor can intuit the presence of these secrets and give patients some way to relieve them . This may be considered the deep subtext of the film , beneath the coming-of-age drama that centers on the young doctor . The film is beautiful , strikingly directed and acted , with moments that are amazing cadenzas of acting skill , where the director allows the actors to show how much they can make out of an emotion through their body-language . It may also appear heavy-handed and obvious at times to Western viewers , who have had a hundred years of Freudian exploration of psychosomatic medicine . But if I understand the context , Kurosawa is asking many of his Japanese viewers to consider for the first time the enormous hidden harm caused by physical and sexual abuse , extreme poverty ( and extreme wealth ) , some uses of traditional authority , patriarchial attitudes , the prideful identification with a dead aristocracy , government policies that punish the poor , broken and bruised hearts resulting from complicated and entangled relationships , resourcefully anti-social adaptations to oppression , and other dark shadows beneath the enameled glaze of contemporary Japanese complacency . Forgive me if that sounds overstated . But watch for it just under the surface of the fllm , again and again , and increasingly as the film goes on . The film strikes me as a profound and profoundly sad social document , braced by a heroic sense that individuals can still make a difference . It's not just , as you will read elsewhere , an uplifting story about two doctors . There is much more , and that more is a tragic vision of how people and society conspire in a dance of self-defeat , and where a caring person might try to change this .
• 011 4  In Japan Akahige has come to mean selfless devotion to mankind , something you see very rarely in the medical profession today . This movie , so many people have noted over the years , should be mandatory viewing for every young student aspiring to become a doctor . Yet this is also a movie about selfishness and common petiness . Red Beard's humanity contrasts vividly against a backdrop of poverty and injustice . Yuzo Kayama shines as the vein young doctor who is transformed to a selfless care giver of the poor as he interns under Red Beard played by Toshiro Mifune . Many of the subplots have become cliche over the years and the movie may lag at times , but over all , this is a great masterpiece .
• 012 4  This review is from : Red Beard - Criterion Collection ( DVD ) When critics and film buffs talk about the legendary Akira Kurosawa , they usually focus on how he influenced American cinema , or his deep philosophical undertones . While those topics merit discussion ( and books ) , I think those same critics and film buffs forget to mention just how entertaining Kurosawa was . You can spend months dissecting each brilliant camera shot and subtle ideals , but what about those precious hours where all you have to do is watch the screen ? To appreciate Akira Kurosawa's impact on cinema requires you to believe a very simple truth : There is more than one way to be excited , to be moved , and to be entertained . If you can accept that principle and are ready to challenge your moviegoing senses , then the work of Kurosawa will possibly change your life as it has mine . I'm not gonna call Kurosawa the greatest filmmaker who ever lived , because a couple of his pieces ( particularly his latest work ) just don't do it for me . But I will say that when the Japanese legend managed to reach me , no other filmmaker inspired me more as a person . My favorite example is RED BEARD , a very gentle and uplifting story of loyalty , maturity , friendship , and hundreds of other synonyms I could throw at you . During the opening credits , you think you know what you're getting into . The gentle music , the peaceful shots of calm rooftops , the sounds of nature . . . at the outset , you're right . RED BEARD begins as sentimental as its musical score implies . The peaceful tone continues as we're introduced to the young Dr . Yasumoto , a brilliant intern who instead of being sent to practice at a prestigous government office , is assigned to a poor village . Yasumoto is to work under Dr . Niide , a man who's basically the mentor we all wish we could have . Niide ( aka Red Beard ) is firm , wise , strong , and patient . RED BEARD's main story is Yasumoto's appreciation for life and humility . Of course , like any great film , RED BEARD gradually reveals layer after layer , theme after theme , character after character , & brilliant scene after brilliant scene . What I want to make clear is that RED BEARD isn't just a character drama . It's a jack-of-all-trades . There are several harrowing scenes where the doctors have to treat patients , none of them excessive or overly grotesque . The story is romantic , but in a believable and respectable way . There are even a few scenes of violence : one a suspenseful attack , the other an unexpected fight sequence . I promise you that while the choregraphy of the violence is thrilling , the aftermath to each is even more of pleasure to watch . RED BEARD also briefly addresses issues like class politics and domestic values . Kurosawa often explored the different classes in his films , but in most of his samurai films , he was incredibly cynical about the tension between them . Contrary to American sociology , the lower class is often reviled more in his films than the upper class . Although no character in a Kurosawa flick was perfect , we often sympathized with the stronger protagonists , rather than the weaker subordinates . Another Kurosawa norm is the overacting ; detractors sometimes can't get into Kurosawa's films because the actors seem to ' speak ' their emotions rather than ' perform ' their behavior . RED BEARD breaks these traditions . The performances are more grounded and less theatrical . The tone is generally light ; the tunnel never gets dark without a light at the end of it . And frankly , I don't think I've ever been more moved by a story in my entire life . There's a perfectly-executed sequence in the middle act , where two souls heal each other in the most unusual way . To give away the rest would be unfair to you , but even if you read the entire plot , RED BEARD wouldn't be any better or worse for you . Most of RED BEARD's detractors focus on its time length . The film is 185 minutes long . It might be a few minutes too long , but then again there's no such thing as a perfect film . Kurosawa isn't in any hurry to tell his story , but that doesn't mean he didn't pace himself . If everything I've read about Kurosawa's techniques is true - and I believe they are - no filmmaker showed more discipline to his craft than Kurosawa . Even respected greats like Martin Scorsese , Robert Altman , and Sidney Lumet would tell you no other filmmaker was more dedicated or selective with his style . There are thousands of classics with worse flaws ; RED BEARD's flaws are literally a matter of minutes . The Criterion DVD includes only two extras . First is a theatrical trailer , which honestly isn't anything special other than a peek at 1960s movie marketting . But the other bonus - and I do mean BONUS - is a stunning feature-length commentary track by Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince . I've listened to this man speak on 6 Kurosawa films ' DVDs , and this is just as great as his other tracks . He analyzes shot sequences , historical background , behind-the-scenes issues , scene composition , philosophy , & hundreds of other factoids I can't remember . Prince talks endlessly throughout the film , but not because he loves the sound of his own voice . He keeps speaking because he knows that 185 minutes isn't enough time to do RED BEARD justive . Simply put , Stephen Prince knows how to turn a skeptic into a believer . Trust me , I've walked away lukewarm from a couple Kurosawa classics , only to have Prince challenge my criticisms . RED BEARD's plot description doesn't look like much on the surface , but no summary does any film justice . What should persuade you to check out RED BEARD is how it's inspired and moved the curious few who've watched it . The Internet Movie Database ( IMDB ) reports only 3000 + voters have scored this film ; the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films have over 100,000 votes each . It's lost masterpieces like RED BEARD that the Criterion Collection exists . Criterion sometimes releases works of art that only the most educated cryptologists and historians can apprecate - - - RED BEARD is not one of them . Even though it's in black-and-white with subtitles , it's as commerical and accessible as any true classic . I'm convinced you will walk away from this film a better human being .
• 013 4  When critics and film buffs talk about the legendary Akira Kurosawa , they usually focus on how he influenced American cinema , or his deep philosophical undertones . While those topics merit discussion ( and books ) , I think those same critics and film buffs forget to mention just how entertaining Kurosawa was . You can spend months dissecting each brilliant camera shot and subtle ideals , but what about those precious hours where all you have to do is watch the screen ? To appreciate Akira Kurosawa's impact on cinema requires you to believe a very simple truth : There is more than one way to be excited , to be moved , and to be entertained . If you can accept that principle and are ready to challenge your moviegoing senses , then the work of Kurosawa will possibly change your life as it has mine . I'm not gonna call Kurosawa the greatest filmmaker who ever lived , because a couple of his pieces ( particularly his latest work ) just don't do it for me . But I will say that when the Japanese legend managed to reach me , no other filmmaker inspired me more as a person . My favorite example is RED BEARD , a very gentle and uplifting story of loyalty , maturity , friendship , and hundreds of other synonyms I could throw at you . During the opening credits , you think you know what you're getting into . The gentle music , the peaceful shots of calm rooftops , the sounds of nature . . . at the outset , you're right . RED BEARD begins as sentimental as its musical score implies . The peaceful tone continues as we're introduced to the young Dr . Yasumoto , a brilliant intern who instead of being sent to practice at a prestigous government office , is assigned to a poor village . Yasumoto is to work under Dr . Niide , a man who's basically the mentor we all wish we could have . Niide ( aka Red Beard ) is firm , wise , strong , and patient . RED BEARD's main story is Yasumoto's appreciation for life and humility . Of course , like any great film , RED BEARD gradually reveals layer after layer , theme after theme , character after character , & brilliant scene after brilliant scene . What I want to make clear is that RED BEARD isn't just a character drama . It's a jack-of-all-trades . There are several harrowing scenes where the doctors have to treat patients , none of them excessive or overly grotesque . The story is romantic , but in a believable and respectable way . There are even a few scenes of violence : one a suspenseful attack , the other an unexpected fight sequence . I promise you that while the choregraphy of the violence is thrilling , the aftermath to each is even more of pleasure to watch . RED BEARD also briefly addresses issues like class politics and domestic values . Kurosawa often explored the different classes in his films , but in most of his samurai films , he was incredibly cynical about the tension between them . Contrary to American sociology , the lower class is often reviled more in his films than the upper class . Although no character in a Kurosawa flick was perfect , we often sympathized with the stronger protagonists , rather than the weaker subordinates . Another Kurosawa norm is the overacting ; detractors sometimes can't get into Kurosawa's films because the actors seem to ' speak ' their emotions rather than ' perform ' their behavior . RED BEARD breaks these traditions . The performances are more grounded and less theatrical . The tone is generally light ; the tunnel never gets dark without a light at the end of it . And frankly , I don't think I've ever been more moved by a story in my entire life . There's a perfectly-executed sequence in the middle act , where two souls heal each other in the most unusual way . To give away the rest would be unfair to you , but even if you read the entire plot , RED BEARD wouldn't be any better or worse for you . Most of RED BEARD's detractors focus on its time length . The film is 185 minutes long . It might be a few minutes too long , but then again there's no such thing as a perfect film . Kurosawa isn't in any hurry to tell his story , but that doesn't mean he didn't pace himself . If everything I've read about Kurosawa's techniques is true - and I believe they are - no filmmaker showed more discipline to his craft than Kurosawa . Even respected greats like Martin Scorsese , Robert Altman , and Sidney Lumet would tell you no other filmmaker was more dedicated or selective with his style . There are thousands of classics with worse flaws ; RED BEARD's flaws are literally a matter of minutes . The Criterion DVD includes only two extras . First is a theatrical trailer , which honestly isn't anything special other than a peek at 1960s movie marketting . But the other bonus - and I do mean BONUS - is a stunning feature-length commentary track by Kurosawa scholar Stephen Prince . I've listened to this man speak on 6 Kurosawa films ' DVDs , and this is just as great as his other tracks . He analyzes shot sequences , historical background , behind-the-scenes issues , scene composition , philosophy , & hundreds of other factoids I can't remember . Prince talks endlessly throughout the film , but not because he loves the sound of his own voice . He keeps speaking because he knows that 185 minutes isn't enough time to do RED BEARD justive . Simply put , Stephen Prince knows how to turn a skeptic into a believer . Trust me , I've walked away lukewarm from a couple Kurosawa classics , only to have Prince challenge my criticisms . RED BEARD's plot description doesn't look like much on the surface , but no summary does any film justice . What should persuade you to check out RED BEARD is how it's inspired and moved the curious few who've watched it . The Internet Movie Database ( IMDB ) reports only 3000 + voters have scored this film ; the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films have over 100,000 votes each . It's lost masterpieces like RED BEARD that the Criterion Collection exists . Criterion sometimes releases works of art that only the most educated cryptologists and historians can apprecate - - - RED BEARD is not one of them . Even though it's in black-and-white with subtitles , it's as commerical and accessible as any true classic . I'm convinced you will walk away from this film a better human being .
• 014 4  For some reason I have always like this Toshiro Mifune character more than any of his other roles . And that is saying quite a lot , considering that this late , great legendary actor portrayed so many wonderful characters throughout his wonderful career . Just as Takashi Shimura's role in Ikiru is my favorite role with him [ even though he acted in many great films ] there is something about the nature of their characters in these two great Kurosawa films that humbles me . One of the reviewers wrote that they don't make films like this anymore . And he is right . And this is our loss , as well as the Film Industry's . This film is magical and a true masterpiece of cinema . In the film , when the young and arrogant Dr . Yasumoto ( Yuzo Kayama ) finds that he will not be the attending physician at the Imperial Court ; but instead working for the lowly peasants [ in his mind ] with Dr . Niide , ( Toshiro Mifune ) a.k.a . , ' Red Beard , ' he is resentful . Yet the patience that the elder Dr . Niide shows this arrogant young Doctor-to-be is one of showing , not telling . Red Beard's example as to what a physican is meant to be , not what one wishes to be , sets a great example to Dr . Yasumoto . Which in turn transforms Dr . Yasumoto into a better human being . His time spent in the company of the peasants and Dr . Niide show him that he is needed , not at the Imperial Court , but with those truly in need . There are many films that Toshiro Mifune did in his career which I have , and without a doubt his acting abilities in many films are standout , however , this film has always been the one that I find him to be stellar in . And I have quite a few of his films . Many not so well known in the west . This film gives the viewer a lesson in humanity about what is important in life : The helping of one's fellow human being . And this is one of the reasons I have always liked this film . Truly remarkable . This film was also the last collaboration between Toshiro Mifune , and Akira Kurosawa . Nonetheless , they both left behind enough films which will always be treasured by those who admire such great works of cinema . This film is highly recommended . It is in black and white . And belongs in your cinema collection .
• 015 4  For all of you who are fans of Kurosawa and Mifune's work together , this is the absolute pinnacle of it ( and the last as well . ) It's a bit long , so if you aren't in the mood for an epic , try later . But if you are in for a patient and finally extremely rewarding film experience , than you can't do better . If you are interested , you won't even notice the 3hr . + running time . If you're new to the duo , I'd recommend starting with Yojimbo . Clint fans will know ! But this one is the best of Kurosawa and Mifune going back to Drunken Angel .
• 016 4  As Kurosawa intended , the story is a morality lesson for us and details the transformation of a vain young doctor by his internship at a clinic for the poor - - headed by Red Beard ( Dr . Niide played by the great Mifune-san . ) Despite the incredibly realistic set and great performance by the actors , some of the various subplots can seem too melodramatic for even the slightly cynical . However , there are many unforgetable characterizations and bone-chilling scenes ( eg . the calling of the name of a dying boy , Chobo , into a well ) that portray an ideal of human goodness all too absent from today's films . Mifune shows off his star power in an incredible action scene also . . . if you need some incentive to sit for this generally fantastic film , which took an excruciating 2 years to make ( a very long production for Japanese films then and now . )
• 017 4  As a youth living in America today among mass commercialism , disgusting greedy emperialistic ethics , and just plain rude apathetic people , I watch this movie at least once a month to remind me of the power of human kindness , devotion and empathy .
• 018 4  Kurosawa's magnificent homage to the poor and suffering in the world . Set in a rural health clinic in the 1800s , Toshiro Mifune plays the kindly but dictatorial head doctor , and Yuzo Kayama is a young , selfish , and self-centered intern who comes reluctantly to the clinic and learns humility . Through magnificent acting and superior direction , the movie captures the heart-rending trials and tribulations of these peasant people . Three stories predominate : a totally selfless man's death-bed cenfession about his wife and his loyalty to her ; a 12 - year-old girl's learning that there are good people in the world ; and a 7 - year-old boy's family who takes poison rather than starve any longer . There is a haunting scene where women are calling back the life of a boy from a well , according to a folk belief . At three hours the movie is perhaps a tad too long , but it's fair to say we don't lose interest for a minute . Kurosawa called this a monument to the goodness in man . Indeed . Definitely worth a watch .
• 019 4  Having recently seen Red Beard for the first time , I was taken by two things . First that Coppola's White Dwarf is a clear-cut remake of this film . Second that this one the best three hours I have spent watching a movie in a very long time . There is a soul and heart in this film that is lacking in most movies and enough to say that it artfully uses it 3 hours with grace .
• 020 4  While not my favorite of Kurosawa's work Red Beard is THE best picture I have ever seen on human compassion . The story line trails out in several directions at times early on - mostly with the patients recollections of their personal tragedies - but admittidly the emotions of those stories are part of the films strength . Also the story of an arrogant young doctor stuck in helping the poor and sickest of all people comes off not only as a great tale of truth in helping the unfortunate but also an even more truthful tale of how life puts you in unlikely , and sometimes unwanted , situations that turn out to make ones life and others lives worth living .
• 021 4  Akira Kurosawa's touching tale of a young doctor who is doing his internship at a poor country clinic . The last film Toshiro Mifune made with the famed director , and perhapse their best collaboration . Filled with pain and struggle , and joy and warmth . Definitly the one Kurosawa movie that must be seen .
• 022 4  One must watch this film sometime in their life . It is as close to being a Citizen Kane - like film as possible , poignant , dramatic , and fascinating . Certainly one of the finest films I have ever seen and I am a 54 year old teacher . The film maybe Japanese , but the themes of individual character and virtue are timeless and universal . The DVD is absolutely superb . The black and white is incredible . The commentary on the DVD should be listened to after one has watched the movie . It is enlightening ! Be prepared to watch the 3 hour film in one go . Even the intermission is interesting to watch and the music beautiful . You will enjoy this amazing film .
• 023 4  Beautifuly composed film - Kurosawa's 1968 film is right up there with ' Rashomon ' on my list of favorites . It is a very interesting and at times curious film - threaded together in a way that the western viewer is not used to - but can adapt to . Toshiro Mifune is a very subtle and interesting character actor - and maybe gives his best performance here as Red Beard . This movie at times has an almost Ozu feel about it - a tender embracing of characters in a downward spiral of events - that evokes the Ozu style ( not necesarrily in a direct way ) . This is unmistakeably Kurosawa , however , and is the equal , if not greater than his own samurai classics .
• 024 4  It's widely known the epic gaze that made from the great master Akira Kurosawa , an undeniable supreme filmmaker . So under this perspective - at least according my view - this movie - based on a charity clinic , is somehow an original way to explore the countless facets of the human behavior , in which concerns to misery , sickness that is used by Kurosawa as a smart metaphor , but an incisive scalpel to carve in relief an epic statement respect the way we must deal the existence , day by day . A ferrous drama that demonstrates once more the lavish genius of Kurosawa . And despite it's overlong its intrinsic virtues are disseminated in every frame of the picture . The youthful irreverence of a young doctor who pretends his knowledge belongs exclusively to him , but since the moment he enters to that clinic he will have to deal with the life and death , some issues that are not explicit in the books , slowly but progressively his initial arrogance will decay through this life's lesson . Another artistic feat of the Japanese master !
• 025 4  This review is from : Red Beard - Criterion Collection ( DVD ) Red Beard is a difficult film . Kurosawa had always sought to blend entertainment with social impact . Many of his films , such as Yojimbo and The Seven Samurai are so much fun to watch that the viewer rarely notes the message being told . With Red Beard , the balance of message and entertainment shifts to a more heavy-handed social commentary . There is no mistaking what Kurosawa is saying . However , Red Beard is a great film . Kurosawa's message is important , and worth hearing . The film's story flows like honey down an empty riverbed , and at about the same pace . Patience , the film tells us . Lessons are never learned without effort . Suffer for a while , and then you will understand . At over 3 hours in length , patience is necessary . There is little action to distract from the lesson . Being the last collaboration of Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune , Red Beard is a masterpiece of acting and direction . Mifune commands attention . His character Red Beard is a powerful physician , ruling both peasant and lord . The black and white film is powerful , making full use of the director's skill . Those who only know Kurosawa's Samurai films will have a difficult time with Red Beard , I think . However , patience . The lesson is there . Relax . Enjoy . Learn .
• 026 4  Red Beard is a difficult film . Kurosawa had always sought to blend entertainment with social impact . Many of his films , such as Yojimbo and The Seven Samurai are so much fun to watch that the viewer rarely notes the message being told . With Red Beard , the balance of message and entertainment shifts to a more heavy-handed social commentary . There is no mistaking what Kurosawa is saying . However , Red Beard is a great film . Kurosawa's message is important , and worth hearing . The film's story flows like honey down an empty riverbed , and at about the same pace . Patience , the film tells us . Lessons are never learned without effort . Suffer for a while , and then you will understand . At over 3 hours in length , patience is necessary . There is little action to distract from the lesson . Being the last collaboration of Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune , Red Beard is a masterpiece of acting and direction . Mifune commands attention . His character Red Beard is a powerful physician , ruling both peasant and lord . The black and white film is powerful , making full use of the director's skill . Those who only know Kurosawa's Samurai films will have a difficult time with Red Beard , I think . However , patience . The lesson is there . Relax . Enjoy . Learn .
• 027 4  What has politics done to help ? Has a law been passed to get rid of poverty and ignorance ? ! These are the central lines , spoken by Toshiro Mifune as Dr . Niide , a / k / a Dr . Red Beard , in this finest classic film of all time - - without doubt , Kurosawa's finest work . Forget Ran and even Seven Samurai . Dr . Niide runs a large clinic , which one should rightly call a sanatorium or hospital . Heavily laden with patients and extraordinarily short on doctors , Kurosawa immediately immerses us into the world of 19th century Japan at its poorest . Dr . Niide - - called Red Beard due to his large red beard and the fact that his surname is difficult to pronounce , struggles gruffly to right all the wrongs around him . Red Beard is a swashbuckling role . . . I never thought I'd see a film with a swashbuckling doctor who is also reminiscent of Mother Teresa . . . yet he is gruff , terse and sometimes a bit pissed off at the world . One of the most thrilling scenes of this film shows what happens to thugs when they get in Dr . Red Beard's way . This man is cooler than Dr . Who and kicks ass better than Dr . No . Into Dr . Red Beard's clinic comes the arrogant young doctor , fresh from the big time and resentful as hell that he has to work in this seeming hell-on-earth . He has to endure Red Beard ignoring him , some incompetent but well-meaning colleagues , and horrendous living conditions that represent only the tip of the One That Sunk the Titanic . This brash young cynic will soon learn his lessons well , and that is the beauty of this Greatest Film Ever Made , my official professional opinion . It is not true there's no humor in this film : it is one of the funniest Kurosawa ever made , but the humor is subtle and deep - - one has to have lived somewhat to find the humor , right where Kurosawa intends us to find it . Never in my life did a film make me chuckle and weep simultaneously : THIS one did , and you will , too . Kurosawa took over two years to make this film . He built a town using genuine 100 - year-old building materials and details . The costumery , which is so vital to Japanese period films , was aged for months to give it a proper , natural look . Kurosawa did everything right . As to that , doctors at this time in Japan under such conditions wore ' uniforms ' , similar to a martial arts school uniform , so everyone could see the person wearing it was a physician . One is struck by the fact that these men are almost literally monks , wearing habits that will identify their calling . Mifune would never work with Kurosawa again after this remarkable , unequalled film ; mainly because he didn't like Kurosawa taking two years to do one movie . The Japanese long ago mastered the art of getting directors to churn out many films per year . Kurosawa took his time , and it always shows . There is no question this is history's greatest film . Furthermore ( if I may insert this here ) stick with Criterion's DVD of this film . If you hate film , hate Japanese film , hate life , need answers , or simply want a good 3 - hour cinema experience . . . THIS FILM YOU MUST SEE AND OWN . Kurosawa once said his films asked a simple question : Why can't people be happier ? I guarantee it : you will be happier once you've seen this movie .
• 028 4  This review is from : Red Beard - Criterion Collection ( DVD ) This version of Red Beard is the best one by far . There is a bootleg copy of this DVD going around that I got sucked into , and bought.I thought I was just getting a real good deal over the internet , but I got stung . The bootleg version sub titles are way off , and the video isn't very good either . It comes out of China and exept for the title , only has Chinese writting on the cover . This version , that says Criterion Collection is what you want to get . The video is clear and the subtitle translation is spot on ! The movie itself is more of a statement on the human condition , more than the tipical Mifune action genre . Like other great actors , and directors , they have all there freinds in the movie again.If youve seen 7 Samurai , Yojimbo , and Sanjuro , you'll recognize all the co-stars . There is one fight seen however ( after all its a Mifune flick ) thats great ! ! But this movie is a Drama , and if you know that going in , you'll enjoy it very much . I did !
• 029 4  This version of Red Beard is the best one by far . There is a bootleg copy of this DVD going around that I got sucked into , and bought.I thought I was just getting a real good deal over the internet , but I got stung . The bootleg version sub titles are way off , and the video isn't very good either . It comes out of China and exept for the title , only has Chinese writting on the cover . This version , that says Criterion Collection is what you want to get . The video is clear and the subtitle translation is spot on ! The movie itself is more of a statement on the human condition , more than the tipical Mifune action genre . Like other great actors , and directors , they have all there freinds in the movie again.If youve seen 7 Samurai , Yojimbo , and Sanjuro , you'll recognize all the co-stars . There is one fight seen however ( after all its a Mifune flick ) thats great ! ! But this movie is a Drama , and if you know that going in , you'll enjoy it very much . I did !
• 031 4  One of Kurosawa's great epics , and the last film with Toshiro Mifune . Like all Kurosawa's best films , Red Beard is , at its conclusion , very poignant . Ranks up there with Seven Samurai , Ikiru , and Rashomon . If you have the patience , check out the remarkable commentary by Stephen Prince . This is a replay of the entire film , with Prince , a Kurosawa scholar , commenting in detail on theme , film technique , historical facets . It's like taking a seminar in Kurosawa and film making . That Prince can talk for over 3 hours about one film , without being pedantic , is remarkable , and elucidates Kurosawa's dedication and artistry .
• 032 4  The legendary Toshirô Mifune has the part of Red Beard , a name that is self-explanatory . One day a young doctor by the name Noboru Yasumoto ( Yuzo Kayama ) arrives at Red Beard's welfare hospital where he is to replace a colleague who anxiously wants to leave . Noboru has big plans for the future as he wants to be the Shogun's personal doctor . However , this new assignment will be an obstacle to his ambitions , since the new position forces him to confront his personal expectations as well as Red Beard . Red Beard requires contemplation by the audience otherwise much will be missed , which makes the cinematic experience grand .
• 033 4  As much as I'm a Mifune / Kurasawa fan I was concerned about the movie being three hours long when I saw the beginning . However after the story developed and gave us insight on the various characters I didn't want it to end . As usual the charismatic Mifune gave a powerhouse performance as Red Beard the head Doctor of the clinic who was very compassionate to his patients as well as those who surrounded him . It's just a pity that this was the last project Kurasawa and Mifune did together . Their collaboration remains sheer magic .
• 034 4  Red Beard was Kurosawa and Mifune's last collaboration , and it's not hard to see why the actor parted ways with his sensei even if the shoot hadn't dragged on for two years ( during which time Kurosawa insisted he keep his beard , preventing him from taking other roles ) . Although it's not a bad film , Mifune is required more as a presence than an actor . Instead the focus is on Yuzo Kayama's arrogant young doctor furious at being assigned to a slum area hospital and his journey from pride to service . In many ways it feels remarkably similar to The Cardinal , with even Masaru Sato's excellent score sharing much of the flavor of Jerome Moross ' score for the Preminger film , albeit with a much more strident counterpoint in the final cue that stakes the films claim to militance over reverence . It's a heartfelt and humane film , but it tends to wander more towards soap opera as it moves unhurriedly to its foregone conclusion . That said , the totally gratuitous fight scene IS fun .
• 035 4  Great film ! When you think of Kurosawa and Mifune , you think action , but ( with the exception of one fight scene ) this is not what this film is about . Deep storyline , great acting , and super cinematography - this one will grab ya !
• 036 4  I didn't check the running time of Red Beard before watching it . At a point I though might be the end , I was surprized to see Intermission pop up on the screen . This movie runs just over 3 hours and there really isn't a reason for any more than the standard 2 hour length . If it had kept within those confines , this would likely merit 5 stars from me as well . However , when you take too long to make a point . . . well , maybe I'd better move on to something else myself . What makes Red Beard the ( near ) great movie that it is comes from the evolving humane compassion it displays . A young doctor finds himself assigned to some charity clinic instead of the job he was expecting as the personal physician to some big shot Shogun . We can figure out right away what direction the movie will take but it is still a joy in watching it develop ( except that it dragged out so . . . but wait , we weren't going to talk about that anymore ) . The title character is played by Toshiro Mifune but he may have been asked to do too much . There is an unnecessary ( there I go again ) scene that seems meant for a samurai movie ( which , of course , Kurosawa knowa how to make ) . There are many different characters in the movie but the best ones , in my opinion , are the cooks who seem to be a sort of Greek chorus that measures the emotional changes that take place throughout the movie . This really is a good movie with a master film-maker who knows how to create an emotional statement . If he could've taken less . . . oh , better not get started on that again .
• 037 4  This movie is a real departure for the director , Akira Kurosawa , in that it blends his humanistic inspirational-type movies , like Ikiru with a bit of action and drama Yojimbo , Sanjuro . The majority of the movie follows a young and arrogant doctor forced to work in a rural and poor region of Japan under a domineering senior doctor . Naturally , everybody learns a lesson about life and both the doctors and patients are seen in their human weakness and grandeour . Midway through the movie , out of nowhere , one of the best action sequences in movie history occurs just before the intermission . It is shocking because it is such a departure from the tone and is also so brief , confusing , and brutal . Toshiro Mifune and Kurosawa never worked together again after this movie and the director's work changed radically . Still good , but I'll always prefer the b & w epics the two of them made together .
• 038 4  This is the most beautiful movie ; its more like a long dance . I was scanning the DVD slowly during a few scenes and was mesmerized by the movements . I think it took me about 5 hours to watch it the first time ( yesteday ) . Toshiro Mifune is the finest most versatile actor ever , and when he works with the best director ever its always magic . I've seen many of Mifune's films with and without Kurasawa . I just needed to tell someone who could appreciate why ! And I agree with the reviewer who pointed out the scene when Chobo was ill and the women were looking down the well . When Otoya's teardrop fell . . . well , it was brilliant .
• 039 4  I guess I really need to reevaluate my feelings on Asian cinema . I've often claimed that it is just too chaotic for my taste . I generally prefer the slow burning dramatic tension from German films , or the jovial loveliness of French or Italian films . As a rule , Asian films always appeared too corny for me . It seems like I've been gaining a newfound education on the subject , and I'm liking what I'm learning . TCM was running a marathon of director Akira Kurosawa's work and I was fortunate enough to catch a few of his films . ` Akahige ' ( or ` Red Beard ' ) is currently my favorite . Kurosawa was a genius director . His work surely speaks for itself , and he has single handedly helped my appreciation for Asian cinema to grow and grow . What I really love about his work is that he was able to embody the style of the Asian cinema while maintaining a solidified vision , unique to his own personal aesthetic . His films are undeniably his films . I also appreciate that he understands subtlety , something that I look for in a film . ` Akahige ' is all about subtlety . The film centers around a small clinic that is run by Dr . Kyojo Niide . Niide , known to his employees and patients as Red Beard , is not easily understood . In fact , he is sorely misunderstood by quite a few , including his newest doctor , Dr . Noboru Yasumoto . Yasumoto obviously has his own problems , but the one that is most apparent on the outset is his pride . Feeling as though he is entitled to more , Yasumoto continually rebels against Niide's instructions , hoping to be sent away . Instead , thanks to Niide's patience and sincerity , Yasumoto learns the true meaning of his profession . The film is littered with outstanding performance , the truest highlight being a brutally honest performance given by the film's star , Toshiro Mifune . Watching the layers strip away as he continues to impart wisdom to Yasumoto is just stunning . As far as a technical achievement , one doesn't get much better than ` Akahige ' . The direction is simply stunning , and the set pieces and costumes are authentic and captivating . The rich black and white cinematography is stunning to watch . In fact , this whole film comes together effortlessly , with strength and commanding presence . But , like any good film , it all lies within the script , which is compelling , poignant and engaging . The film is never dull or meandering , but always rich in detail and holds the audiences interest with ease . You become so invested in these characters as they mold and conform , becoming swallowed up in the situations leading to their growth as individuals . Human kindness and understanding is on full display as Yasumoto observes Niide and begins to understand who he is and why he does what he does . This discovery makes ` Akahige ' on of the most beautifully sincere and films of the 60 ' s ( or ever ) . As you can probably tell , I highly recommend you set aside the three hours it takes to watch this masterpiece .
• 040 4  Professional Amazon reviewer gets it wrong . Red Beard bears direct resemblance to Kurosawa's 1949 film , The Quiet Duel , and is not an unlikely addition at all . In many ways Quiet Duel is the more modern film than Red Beard with its finely-drawn moral complexities . Quiet Duel sticks in my head in a way Red Beard , with all of its moral absolutes , does not .
• 041 4  This review is from : Red Beard - Criterion Collection ( DVD ) Though Seven Samurai is generally proclaimed as his best , for me Red Beard surpasses it . It deals more with character than story ( or stories in this case ) and the development and growth of those characters . It is set in and around a clinic and focuses on staff and patients , especially the poor . I found it beautiful and thought provoking . As an aside , it mirrors health care in 21st century America .
• 042 4  Though Seven Samurai is generally proclaimed as his best , for me Red Beard surpasses it . It deals more with character than story ( or stories in this case ) and the development and growth of those characters . It is set in and around a clinic and focuses on staff and patients , especially the poor . I found it beautiful and thought provoking . As an aside , it mirrors health care in 21st century America .
• 043 4  Akahige ( Red Beard ) is easy to overlook because it is not a Kurosawa samurai film like his more popular Seven Samurai , Sanjuuroh , Yohjimboh , etc . While Mifune plays a tough character , he has no cut - ' em-up action scenes as in Sanjuuroh or Samurai Rebellion . What makes this film worth the three-hour running time ? While it can run perilously close to schmaltz when dealing with the sad condition of the poor patients , the story is fundamentally compelling . It begins with Yasumoto , a cocky graduate of a Dutch medical school in Nagasaki , going to an interview at Dr . Niide's clinic for the poor . The doctor he is to replace leads him on a tour of the facilities and paints a grim picture of the clinic and Dr . Niide himself , a purported tyrannical dictator called Akahige ( literally Red Beard ) . Yasumoto takes this at face value , and he voices his disgust at the rank odor his guide tells him is the smell of the poor ( They smell like rotten fruit ) . As the story unfolds we see that Yasumoto is a self-pitying spoiled brat . He has just suffered the heartbreak of being jilted by the daughter of the prominent Nomura family with ties to the Shogunate . He thinks he was sent to the clinic by the Nomura family to silence him and hide the shame of the broken engagement from public . Yasumoto suspects Akahige's interest in his notes on Western medecine is an attempt to steal his medical secrets . He decides he will behave so badly that Akahige will send him away , and only then will he be able to pursue his dream of becoming the Shogun's physician . He intentionally disobeys the strict orders to wear the clinic uniform , abstain from alcohol , and to work diligently to ease the tremendous burden of cases born by his colleague , Dr . Mori , and Akahige . As the story progresses Yasumoto learns that things are not as they seemed , and he grows up as he learns to take his eyes off his own suffering and to look to the needs of others . Akahige does not upbraid him as he expected , and the so-called tyrant even saves Yasumoto's life when he is nearly entrapped by a psychotic beauty who temporarily escaped confinement at the clinic . Yasumoto's first house call with Akahige to a brothel yields his first patient , a 12 - year old girl being forced into prostitution by the old madame . His job to help heal the physical and psychological condition of the girl is more than the young doctor can handle , and he cries tears of frustration that his patient won't accept his help . He marvels at the patience shown by the seemingly stoic Akahige , and the latter's compassion for the sick begins to grow on him . He decides to shed his sword and fine clothes ( marks of his superior rank ) , wear the clinic uniform and perform his duties alongside Akahige and Mori . Yasumoto dives into his work to the point of exhaustion , and now Akahige prescribes Yasumoto's care to his patient . The girl heals as she abandons her cynical caution and practices on-gaeshi ( repayment of kindness out of gratitude ) . The formerly high and mighty young doctor is now in the position of having to rely on the care of a poor , dirty girl in tattered clothes . ( Akahige mutters ase-kusai [ it reeks of sweat in here ] when his visits Yasumoto's room , and it reminds us that the cocky Yasumoto remarked at how the poor patients stunk when he first arrived at the clinic . ) Both learn to accept each other's help in healing . Yasumoto also learns that he was not a victim of injustice as he'd thought . He was not sent to the clinic as punishment or as a trick by the Nomura family to keep him quiet . On the contrary , they were working to get him appointed as the Shogun's doctor . Not only that , the family rejected the daughter who jilted him because they took the engagement as seriously as he did . His former fiancee's younger sister offers herself to be Yasumoto's wife to preserve the family honor and allow her sister back into the fold . Now that he is no longer a self-centered victim but both the giver and receiver of gracious treatment , Yasumoto determines to stay at the clinic and work for the betterment of the poor rather than take the path to fame and fortune with the Shogunate . Akahige calls him a fool for throwing away his opportunity for a better life , but Yasumoto shows he can be as headstrong as his mentor in his determination to do good . I first rented this film on VHS over 15 years ago , and I was impressed with the quality of the Criterion Collection restoration . The sound and picture quality are excellent . This is the edition to own .
• 044 4  This review is from : Red Beard - Criterion Collection ( DVD ) This is one of Kurosawa Akria's early efforts , reflecting both his unique very visual style of filmmaking and his concern with the human situation . This is NOT really a samurai movie in the accepted Western sense , although Mifune does beat the hell out of a group of baddies in more or less typical Mifune fashion , and also typically , voices regret for having done so ! It is a very good , if not excellent film , which concerns itself with themes of loyalty and rebellion , sickness and health , and life and death .
• 045 4  This is one of Kurosawa Akria's early efforts , reflecting both his unique very visual style of filmmaking and his concern with the human situation . This is NOT really a samurai movie in the accepted Western sense , although Mifune does beat the hell out of a group of baddies in more or less typical Mifune fashion , and also typically , voices regret for having done so ! It is a very good , if not excellent film , which concerns itself with themes of loyalty and rebellion , sickness and health , and life and death .
• 046 4  Dear viewer , Within the past few years I have become a fan of Japanese films , all beginning with THRONE OF BLOOD . Delving into this new genre , I discovered many films that are wonderful , but in my personal opinion RED BEARD is by far the best . This film shows the wonderful acting style of Toshiro Mifune , who not only puts heart , but also integrity into the role of Red Beard . To any fan of good cinema you cannot go wrong with RED BEARD !
• 047 4  This is simply the best film I've ever seen in my entire life . I've studied the films of Kurosawa Akira thoroughly and my opinion remains deeply rooted . In a previous review of Akahige , one person mentioned the scene in which the the maids and Otoyo are screaming Chobo's name down the well . This person said this was the best scene . I have to disagree because it makes the viewer think too much about the camera , sucking the emotion out of the scene and replacing it with curiosity as to how the scene was filmed . This is a problem that occurs over and over and over again in the Wachowski brother's Matrix films . The viewer thinks about how it was really accomplished , not about any sort of sentimental value . Other than that scene , which , actually , I believe is the worst scene , the movie is so great that it can hardly even be described in words alone . In fact , it can't because words and cinema are two different things . Watch this movie . Just to give a little historical background , this is the final collaboration ( made in 1965 ) between Kurosawa Akira ( said to be the greatest director ever ) and Mifune Toshiro ( said to be the greatest actor ever ) . I'd also suggest watching the rest of Kurosawa Akira's films first , especially Drunken Angel , which happens to be the first time Kurosawa Akira and Mifune Toshiro worked together . Kurosawa had never really been impressed by any actor / actress before he met Mifune . He claimed that Mifune could do in one movement what a normal actor would take three movements to express . He had just been discharged from the Japanese military and starred in half of Kurosawa Akira's films , which is quite a lot . After all , Kurosawa directed approximately thirty films in his lifetime , including such flicks as Sugata Sanshiro , Drunken Angel , The Seven Samurai , and Kagemusha . So , all in all , this is the best film ever . One flaw is its length though , as other reviewers have mentioned . It's difficult to watch a three hour film over and over again due to its sheer size . I'm still collecting Kurosawa Akira's films , but no collection would be complete without Akahige .
• 048 4  This is a strong film . This is a film I recommend all everybody to see ( young and old ) . This is a film all doctors ( especially fresh graduates ) should see ! This film is totally uptodate , tackling the most rotten parts in us , in society . This film has stories to tell : stories that touch your heart and make you cry and make you laugh and make you want to change ; stories about dignity , wisdom , strength and love . This film is so well made and so well acted .
• 049 4  The only down-side I have seen to this movie is the English subtitles . They appear to have been written by a Japanese student in his or her , I'd guess , 4th year of taking Engrish . I don't wish to suggest that for a non-Japanese speaker ( read , this reviewer ) they are distracting . However , I have noticed more than once that the word usements ( thank you , Steve Martin ) and sentence designs are somewhat awkward . It was , I suspect , accidental ; either that or the translator was practicing some sort of verbal origami . For example , one is left asking who is Brown Beard ? That being said , please don't let the above dissuade you from watching ( or owning ) this movie . I believe that most of us who are able to sit through it will come away with an appreciation of how , given the right circumstances , our personal selfish desires can change into genuine compassion . ( For you and me , however , the trick is to be in the right circumstances . I can't help you with that . ) One further suggestion , if I may : watch this movie by yourself and without distractions . In that way you will have the opportunity to focus on the story & the people . Hopefully this will allow you to feel what's happening . You might even find yourself identifying with different aspects of different characters . Don't expect to be entertained . That will be for another day and a different movie . Sayonara .
• 050 4  this was one of the best japanesse movies that i have ever watched . The story line is catchy and engulfs you the moment you start the movie . . . this is one of those movies that even if you don't like subtitles you are entranced to keep going . This movie shows you what life was really like in japan at the turn of the century . i would suggest this movie . . . it is even better than seven samuri .
• 051 4  This is an Epic movie . It is the cure for the vanity of self indulgence . The love that is internalized will be returned .
• 052 4  I am a big Kurosawa fan , but I barely got through this ( luckily I watched it in a theater ! ) . I'm used to slow pacing with Japanese film , but this was just dull . And sometimes unpleasant . If you're a completist you probably should watch it , but if you are just looking for a good flick , go with one of the more famous Kurosawa works ( Seven Samurai - my favorite , Rashomon - truly a classic , Kagemusha , Ran , Hidden Fortress , Dreams , Rhapsody in August , Ikiru . . . ) .
• 053 4  The last collaboration in a long and fruitlful one , Red Beard ushers in the beginning of new chapter for both Mifune and Kurosawa , but marks the ending of one of the most intruiging collaborations in film history . This is Mifune's second best performance behind Yojimbo . Classic Kurosawa , classic movie , classic Red Beard .
• 054 4  Mifune should have and could have had a bigger role and this would have made the film better . They did not give him enough to do and this diminished the picture .
• 055 4  RED BEARD is a decent enough film , but far too long for the storyline Kurosawa provides . The movie reminds me of some of the better Chinese communist flims of the 1960s , which may have been influenced by RED BEARD , for all I know . But there are distinct similarities , not least of which is the promotion of the idea in this movie that the upper classes are basically morally inferior ( perhaps ) , and that the downtrodden underclasses are morally superior to those who exploit them . Toshiro Mifune , of course , dominates the film in his role as the selfless physician who gives free medical care to the poor peasants and prostitutes who come to him for aid . At the same time , he charges handsomely for the medical advice he doles out to the rich landowners , using those profits to provide for those less fortunate . It's an uplifting film with a strong socialist agenda , but far too cloying for my tastes . Still and all . . . it's Akira Kurosawa , and he's better than almost everyone , even when he misses the mark .
• 056 4  Not only is this Kurosawa's best , but My all time Favorite movie ever made !
• 057 4  I'll keep this short . The message of the film was aptly delivered 1 / 3 of the way through , and the entire film should only have been 2 / 3 as long as it was . Although this movie has all of Kurosawa's technical mastery in it , it's also rather cliched . It definitely overstayed it's welcome .