017 4 The Yakuza ( 1974 ) is a superb west meets east crime drama , set in Japan involving the shadowy organized crime hierarchy known as the Yakuza . Harry Kilmer ( Robert Mitchum ) served in the army in postwar Japan , and is returning to the land of the rising sun , for the first time in over twenty years , to help his old army buddy George Tanner ( Brian Keith ) , recover his kidnapped daughter .
Today , many Americans are familiar with some elements of the Japanese culture , like martial arts , ninjas , samurai warriors , and the Yakuza . Much less was known about such things in 1974 , when versatile director Sidney Pollack took on this challenging project , where about 95% of the action was shot in Japan . Working with a Japanese film crew , and communicating through a translator , it was most fortunate that Pollack had a solid screenplay to work from .
Rather than an all out action film , The Yakuza , has a real story with many subtle undertones . As Japanese beliefs are very different from those in the west , a certain amount of cultural education was made a part of the film . The story begins in postwar Japan , where Harry Kilmer with the military police , saves the life of Eiko Tanaka ( Keiko Kishi ) a young widow struggling to survive with her daughter Hanako . Harry loves Eiko , but she refuses to marry him . In 1951 , Eiko ` s brother Ken ( Takakura Ken ) , thought to have been killed in the war , miraculously returns from the dead . Harry helps Eiko to buy a bar as a farewell gift , before returning to America .
Kilmer returns to Japan with Dusty Hoeskstra ( Richard Jordan ) , along for added muscle . They are staying at the home of Oliver Wheat ( Herb Edelman ) , another army buddy who chose to stay in Japan . Harry has a warm reunion with Eiko , and Hanako ( Christina Kokubo ) who is now a young woman . George Tanner , always a wheeler dealer , made a deal to deliver guns to Tono , a member of the Yakuza , Japan's mysterious version of the mafia . Tono kidnaps Tanner's daughter , when the deal goes sour . Ken Tanaka is now a martial arts instructor , but at one time was a member of the Yakuza . Harry contacts Ken , to request his help in freeing Tanner's daughter . Firearm ownership was largely prohibited in Japan , but Wheat is a collector , and provides Kilmer and Dusty with guns . The rescue mission is successful , but lives are lost , setting in motion a series of violent and tragic events , and revealing a twenty year old secret .
With powerful understated performances by Mitchum , and Takakura Ken , the situation slowly builds to an inevitable confrontation , that mixes traditional Japanese sword fighting with firearms . The final battle between Ken , and Tono's Yakuza gang members is very deliberate , and well choreographed by Pollack . Slower paced than a traditional Japanese fight , the scene is quite effective , as tension is allowed to build , and each kill can be appreciated more .
Even after the fighting is done , the ancient Japanese belief in ` giri ' ( obligation ) , and the importance of honor , which has been the motivation for much that has occurred , continues to be the protocol that must be followed . Kilmer eventually comes to believe that ` giri ' applies even to him , and in a remarkable gesture , responds in the traditional Japanese fashion . For some , the Japanese perspective may forever remain a mystery .
Sidney Pollack's commentary is full of insights about the production of this unique film . Working with a crew and some cast , that did not speak English , making a movie that is both poignant , and with impressive action sequences , is a notable achievement . Pollack's honesty is striking , when he says that the film belongs to the 70 ' s , and that he is uncertain if he would make the film today . This was one of the early bridges between eastern and western mainstream studios , in the action / crime genre . Very credible , with great performances by all , extremely well-written , with many cultural nuances that the average westerner may not appreciate , it is more than a violent shoot / slice ` em up . This is the first of several Pollack films to be scored by jazz great Dave Grusin , and he does a fine job of melding smooth jazz with Asian elements .
Although Mitchum was capable of greatness , Pollack says that like a mule , at times took some coaxing to get the best out of him . Fortunately it appears that Pollack provided that coaxing , as Mitchum's performance is stellar , without pretense , and always ringing true , with even his pronunciation of Japanese smooth and natural . A period piece perhaps , but Pollack's film is quite the insightful masterpiece .
001 4 Well , if this film doesn't put hair on your chest , nothing will .
Look up ' film noir ' in the dictionary and there should be a picture of Robert Mitchum in The Yakuza , alongside Bogie in The Maltese Falcon . It's that good of a film .
The theme is about honor , or giri . The last bastion of manhood in an relativistic world ambivalent towards heroism , unsure about any values , moral or otherwise , and gone to hell .
Against this background , you may be a tad on the shady side of the law , but do you keep faith with your friends ?
For that matter , would you risk taking a bullet for someone you personally loathe but whom you owe because he's saved the life of your wife and child ?
The plot begins when Mitchum is approached by an old army buddy that he hasn't heard from in decades , save for the annual obligatory Christmas card . His daughter's been kidnapped by Japanese mobsters and he needs his help .
As to Mitchum , his character is established in one line .
You've been successful ?
Mitchum : That depends on how you figure those things .
True enough . He has no family , no friends , no one even remotely close . The film noir loner , now in his sixties .
He goes back to Japan , links up with the only woman he ever loved , and the one enemy who can help him gain entry into the dark world of the Yakuza ; an ultra-traditionalist latter-day Samurai ( Tanaka Ken ) who owes Mitchum .
One small problem , he's no longer a Yakuza . He's been out of the mob for years . When Mitchum finds out this unpleasant bit of inforation and blurts out I can't ask you to do that ! Tanaka Ken quietly replies : You already have .
The aged warriors go to it again . A great story of love and betrayal . Acted in a style of understated whispers between flashing katanas that bring the house down .
002 4 This movie is one of the best action films to be made in the seventies and late sixties . It stays away from the anti-establishment preachiness so popular during that time and goes for classic hard-boiled action . And , as noted by others , also explores the concepts of honor and friendship . During this time period several of Hollywood's older leading men who had been real studs in the forties and early fifties ( Mitchum , Holden , Brian Keith , John Wayne ) were turning out some superior action movies with intelligent scripts . The Yakuza is no exception . Here you have two wildly different cultures meeting , clashing , but also finding much in common . Two strong and principled men working together , even though at first they dislike one another , both always having to work at staying true to their principles while dealing with the world and those who are not so ethical . Some might find the message that violence and vengence have a place in the scheme of things and can actually be cleansing to be disturbing , but this story is about two warriors ( essentially ) . The warrior strives for perfection in many things , but pacifiscm isn't one of those . When one is betrayed by a friend , or one's blood is betrayed then retribution must be dealt to the betrayer and sometimes honor can only be restored by cutting off one's finger . To a Western viewer much of this is inconceivable - we're all to enlightened anymore , but I found this movie to have a ring of truth to it . Though when I recently watched it with my wife she found it to be somewhat grotesque . She loves the Lethal Weapon movies - which have as much substance to them as cotton candy . This movie is a much more solid piece of filmaking in which the violence has a place . I found it to be restrained and not gratuitous . It dosen't frolic in death and mayhem for it's own sake . But having said that the action pieces are fantastic . I also own Black Rain which is an okay action flick , but once you watch The Yakuza you'll see it for what it is - a pale imitation . Watch this movie if you get the chance . you won't regret it .
003 4 The movie is excellent . It really rates 5 stars for its strong plot , acting , direction , and camera work . The theme throughout is honor , and obligation . But pay attention to the obligation part . There is the notion that we are defined by our obligations , a concept that is vastly different between east and west . Personally , I think we could use a little more of the Japanese context of obligation in our own society and culture . And this movie's depiction appeals to something in me that is , admittedly , fundamentally romantic .
My problem with the video is this : there are omissions from this version that were in the first version I saw . Some footage has been edited out , and although its omission does not adversely affect the story line , it was an effective contribution . Also , there are sections where subtitles are omitted . ( My most recent viewing was in the company of a friend who speaks Japanese and English , and they provided their own comments regarding the accuracy , not necessarily of the English rendering , but more on what the Japanese should have been in the context . ) Mind you , the movie is in English , with some segments of Japanese dialog . But it was disappointing that some of the most eloquent dialog wasn't even translated .
Maybe someone , somewhere , will grant my wish and produce an unexpurgated version on DVD . . .
004 4 I have never seen this particular version of the video . I have the original one that came out and guard it jealously ! What I cannot understand is why this movie has never been released on DVD ! . . . There are so many underlying themes throughout this movie besides that of the main plot of betrayal by old Army buddies and the honor gained through the loyalty of newly formed friendship between Mitchum and Ken . I've often wondered if I would experience the same feelings Mitchum experienced coming back to Tokyo , if I went back to Saigon and saw those I knew back when I was in Nam . What a feeling to see how much things had changed and yet remained the same . There are many deep themes explored in this movie . Definitely one of Sidney Pollack's more under rated , yet finer films for nuance ! . . . I highly recommend this movie to anyone who wants more than swords and blood .
005 4 The Yakuza is one of the great films of the seventies . Although this didn't make much noise in the seventies ( despite a truly surreal promotional gimmick , ` Join the Yakuza Set ' tattoo transfers ! ) , it has held up a lot better than he plethora of seventies thrillers that swamped it at the time .
Belonging to that subgenre of Americans-in-Japan thrillers ( Fuller's House of Bamboo , Scott's Black Rain , Frankenheimer's The Challenge ) , The Yakuza is a film about the price of honor and about people who face their responsibilities . The film could almost be called ` giri ' - Japanese for obligation or the burden hardest to bear . Richard Jordan's bodyguard may start out wiseguy ( That can work both ways . If you ain't alive tomorrow , he don't owe you s * * * . ) but even he lives up to his moral obligations when discharged from them by Mitchum . All of the plot developments are a result of obligations , with the characters following through as per their personal codes of honor , taken to the ultimate extreme in Mitchum's final apology to Takakura Ken for destroying both his past and his future .
The hook might be that Mitchum returns to Japan to help secure the release of an old army friend's daughter from a Yakuza clan and in the process reopening old wounds with former lover Kishi Keiko and her brother Takakura Ken , but the emotional undercurrents are as important as the plot developments , with the film's criminal double-dealing mirrored in the myriad personal betrayals he is as he is forced to face the fact that he has always confused his friends with his enemies .
It is not a film that wears its emotions on its sleeve , and is all the more affecting for that the awkwardness of Mitchum's meeting with Ken and the hesitancy of his reunion with Keiko ( and the subtle re-enactment of the old photos in her album ) - everything is in the pauses and between the lines . It's these emotional undercurrents that make it stand up to repeated viewings .
The early seventies was a last golden age for the eternally under-rated Mitchum , with outstanding performances in The Friends of Eddie Coyle , Farewell My Lovely and Ryan's Daughter , and this is one of his best . His ` strange stranger ' and Takakura Ken's ` man who never smiles ' ( He's been unhappy ever since he lost the war . I keep trying to tell him it's not his fault but he won't take my word for it ) is a match made in casting heaven . Their screen presence is remarkably similar , exuding a lifetime of world-weariness and personal loss that attracts both empathy and respect for their characters . Both give superbly understated performances , with the great Takakura Ken getting his best English-language role to date .
Jordan gives a nicely unassuming performance in the juvenile lead , making the most of his romantic subplot by showing the least , and there's an added poignancy to his fate since the actor's death . Indeed , all the performances are superb , with the emphasis on being rather than acting .
The screenplay as filmed is a terrific mixture of the commercial and the cerebral . Where most modern American thrillers are driven by indiscriminate violence ( In America , a guy cracks up he opens a window and kills a few strangers . Here , a guy cracks up , he closes the window and kills himself , observes Jordan ) , here events and participants are interconnected . All of the main characters are friends or surrogate family , and although Robert Towne was brought in to up the gangster element from the Shraders ' ( Leonard and Paul ) more philosophical approach ( the differences can be found in Leonard Schrader's novelization ) , he knows enough to keep it personal . It's witty too , without being condescending or resorting to the pre-kill one-liners so prevalent today that divorce the audience from the consequences and ramifications of violence . Only a very dialog-heavy bit of exposition about the backstory between Mitchum and Keiko feels a tad clumsy .
Sydney Pollack's sensitivity to the material is remarkable . There's an unshowy adventurousness to his direction that he hasn't displayed since . In particular , the action scenes are extraordinary without ever straying from the credible , a disciplined mixture of stillness and sudden violence and a complete departure in style for the director .
Warners ' new DVD is long overdue , and very welcome indeed . Extras are a little thin - a very good 19 - minute promotional featurette from 1974 , Promises to Keep , and an audio commentary from Sydney Pollack - and it's disappointing that the deleted scenes from the longer 123 - minute version of the film are not included .
006 4 I have seen this movie numerous times and NEVER tire of watching it . As someone involved in Japanese Budo and having been to Japan several times , I get lost in the movie each time . Watching Takakura Ken perform the first Iaido kata-Ippon Mae : Mai is excellent .
The cast speaks for itself . Premier actors / actresses . I even see Kishi Keiko on shows I watch now on Japanese TV . One of the central and underlying themes is that of Giri - translated by Ken as the burden hardest to bear . I think we in the west have by and large no real sense of that level of indebtedness . And for that I am sorry . The story is well written AND the soundtrack will be availble soon on CD after 30 years ! ! ! ! ! ! I am so very happy . Now all we need to do is cut this movie released in its full length ( 123 minutes in Japan ) with both Japanese and English dialogue and subtitles in DVD , REGION FREE format . What a great day that will be ; - )
For those students of Budo , Japanese culture and who want a glimpse into the multi-layered aspects of that culture , I highly recommend it ! ( The previous was an unpaid endorsement of this title ) .
007 4 Notable for one of the first big payday screenplay in the industry for Paul Schrader before his success w / Taxi Driver , nuanced and sensitive to things Japanese - due in large part to brother Leonard , who was a devotee of the country and its culture , who did the original treatment and was uncredited ( And again in Mishima , over which the brothers broke . ) .
A remarkable fusion of noir sensibility ( not to forget Towne ) and yakuza ethos , The Yakuza is an effective action picture possessing tremendous emotional range and depth , and the emotions on-screen are supple and powerful . You don't expect tenderness of this kind in this genre : between parents and child , lovers , husband and wife , ultimately friends , the tidal affects of bonds and obligation . The regard of the film toward its object is fairly loving - compare to such later projects as the Michael Douglas vehicle , Ridley Scott's Black Rain with its rampant machismo imperialism and condescending xenophobia .
Mitchum has never been better or more world weary . And you understand why Ken Takakura is the Clint Eastwood of Japan . An unlikely pairing , and an odd buddy pairing picture of two men a world apart bonded by perverse fate , There are at least two love stories and a fight set-piece that can compare to anything in Tarantino .
Dave Grusin did the score , Pollack directs . What a class act .
008 4 A beautiful film , by any standard . Marshall Fine says it best when he calls it surprisingly heartfelt and deliciously exciting in the review above . Like all of the greatest action films , the emphasis is on character development and interaction . Even so , the action scenes are breathtaking . Sydney Pollack directs like Akira Kurosawa and Howard Hawks , with outbursts of violence happening rapidly and intensely without being gratuitous . Robert Mitchum is excellent as always , as is the rest of the cast . This would make an excellent Warner budget line DVD , if presented in an anamorphic transfer at the film's original 2.35 : 1 aspect ratio ( the way that Warner has presented Just Cause and other movies ) . Please release the DVD soon !
009 4 I am continually surprised no one I talk to about this movie has heard of it . This is really a fantastic gangster / crime movie in every way with a great story playing off the common giri vs . ninjo japanese motif . Having spent time in Japan , this is one of few American movies that treats the Japanese culture as more than a one dimensional gimmick . Mitchum and Takakura Ken are perfect . I really feel this movie is one of the greatest of all time , certainly on par with recognized 70 ' s greats like TAXI DRIVER ( from coscripter Paul Schrader ) and CHINATOWN ( from coscripter Rober Towne ) . Do not miss this one !
011 4 This review is from :
The Yakuza ( DVD )
Finally ! They are releasing this movie on DVD ! ! Great movie showing the differences between the East and the West ( mechanically , philosophically , and culturally ) . And the sword play is spectacular ! One of my all time favorite films ! ! !
012 4 Finally ! They are releasing this movie on DVD ! ! Great movie showing the differences between the East and the West ( mechanically , philosophically , and culturally ) . And the sword play is spectacular ! One of my all time favorite films ! ! !
014 4 Despite ( or maybe because of ) the gusts of mayhem which blow regularly through this film , the underlying tone of The Yakuza is of a kind of thoughtful sadness . The movie isn't about simple revenge or betrayal , but about obligations and responsibilities that just about everyone in the movie has to deal with . The swords and shotguns are almost incidental to the inevitable assumption of those obligations by people we learn to understand and respect . Even Harry Kilmer ( Robert Mitchum ) , who honors his obligations in an American way , finally understands how to honor them in a Japanese way . The Yakuza , even with the violence and the personal , intertwined stories of the main characters , is a surprisingly calm movie without an ounce of melodrama .
Harry is a retired detective in Los Angeles who is called on by an old friend , George Tanner ( Brian Keith ) , to rescue his daughter . Tanner did Harry a big favor when they both served in occupied Japan . George is an opportunist with business dealings in Japan and the States . He took money from Tono , a yakuza clan leader , to buy arms , then failed to deliver . In retaliation , Tono simply kidnapped Tanner's daughter in Tokyo and told Tanner to deliver the weapons or his daughter will wind up in four pieces . Harry agrees to fly to Japan and see what can be done . He calls for assistance on Tanaka Ken ( Takakura Ken ) , a man Harry knows owes him a debt . It was Harry who rescued Tanaka's sister , Eiko Tanaka ( Keiko Kishi ) , while Tanaka was hidden in the Philippines , refusing after the war to surrender . He is a former yakuza , unsmiling and severe , who resents Harry and the obligation he is under to help him . It's apparent , too , that Harry still loves Eiko . It is equally apparent she reciprocates , but she will not marry him , either now or when they were living together during the occupation . Sydney Pollack , the director , sets all this up carefully at the beginning of the film . The set-up is important to understand because it is these obligations that drive the movie , lead to the violence and provide a resolution which is distinctly bittersweet , especially for Harry .
The course of the movie , after Harry and Tanaka rescue Tanner's daughter , kill two of Tono's men doing so and cause Tono to lose face , alternates between violence directed at Tanaka by Tono and then with our growing knowledge of the stories of Harry , Tanaka and Eiko . But suddenly violence is directed at Harry , himself , from a surprising source . Tanaka and Harry take steps to resolve the situation with equally violent means , and then must come to grips with a much deeper understanding of each other than simple obligation can provide .
One of the things that makes this movie so effective is that the violence is graphic but not over the top . Yes , an arm goes flying , a knife goes into a belly underwater , fingers get lopped off and there are a lot of sword thrusts and shotgun blasts . All this is startlingly effective , but , with two brief exceptions , there is little of the lingering love for blood . And those two exceptions , both involving little fingers , are wince-inducing because of what we don't see . Another of the film's quality points , mentioned earlier , is that this is a movie that exists to examine obligations , the burden hardest to bear as a Japanese word has it . Pollack gives us a well-constructed story in which to help us make our own examination . For those who enjoy things Japanese , another plus is the care Pollack took to capture the look of Japan . The Yakuza never becomes a travelogue , but there is much of Japan to see in the movie , from a game of hanafuda to all those pachinko players , from a quiet temple to a narrow Tokyo downtown street , from a hostess nightclub to a bathhouse . It all looks right . And finally , the movie works so well because Mitchum gives an excellent performance . At 57 when he made this movie , he brings the authority of experience to the part . He is matched by Takakura Ken . The two actors both are heavy-weights . Mitchum doesn't dominate the movie so much as he shares it equally with Takakura . The secondary characters all do fine jobs , too .
The Yakuza is a fine and unusual action movie . The DVD transfer looks very good . There are two extras , a short feature about Japan called Promises to Keep and a commentary by Pollack .
015 4 This review is from :
The Yakuza ( DVD )
I saw the movie , The Yakuza , in 1975 . I remember going into the theater and not knowing what to expect . Sidney Pollack directed this film . He'd just finished The Way We Were and later went on to do Out of Africa and Tootsie . Mr . Pollack was drawn to the script of The Yakuza because it dealt with honor , obligation , friendship , and lost love . It was also his chance to learn more about the Japanese culture and how we differ from them and their way of thinking . For me , it was a learning experience about true friendship and keeping one's promises .
The story deals with Harry Kilmer ( played by Robert Mitchum ) being asked by one of his best friends , George Tanner ( played by Brian Keith ) , to go to Japan and rescue his daughter , who's been kidnapped by the Japanese Yakuza . It seems that Tanner had business dealings with the Yakuza and was supposed to buy guns for one clan in particular . He spent the money , rather than buying the weapons , and now his daughter is being held as a hostage until the guns are produced . Kilmer reluctantly returns to Japan to fulfill his debt to Tanner , but in order to save Tanner's daughter , he has to call in an old favor from a Japanese man named Tanaka Ken ( played by Ken Takakura ) . The payment of this debt will bring great pain into Ken's life and create an obligation on Kilmer's part . In the end , both men will have to join together to take on a Yakuza clan in mortal combat - - two men with only a shotgun and a sword against thirty .
This is much more than a movie about swordplay and violence . It's a love story about loss and redemption . It's about how a person chooses to repay his debts because it's his actions that make him a man . It's about friendship and the cost it entails . If you're true of heart , this movie can't help but resonate with you . I've seen it at least twenty-five times over the last thirty years , and the ending is just as powerful now as it was back in 1975 . I can still feel Robert Mitchum's pain as he pushes a token of his apology toward Tanaka Ken and ask that he and Eiko be forgiven for the pain that's been brought into his life . The DVD of The Yakuza has a fifteen-minute vintage featurette on the making of the movie . That turned out to be better than I thought it would . There's a feature-length commentary with Sidney Pollack , which isn't too bad . He talks about what drew him to the script and how the Japanese culture intrigued him . There's also a lot of discussion about lighting and why he used the wide screen format for this film . Last , there are subtitles for all the Japanese that's spoken in the movie . Some of the VHS videos had many of the subtitles deleted , but not so in the DVD . This is the 112 minute version that was released in the United States and not the 123 minute version that was seen in Japan . The motion picture soundtrack by Dave Grusin can now be found on CD through Amazon . Only three thousands copies of the CD were pressed and that was done back in early 2006 . I had to pay an arm and a leg for my copy , but it was worth it . Of all the movies I've seen over the last fifty years , The Yakuza remains my all-time favorite film . Highly recommended ! ! !
016 4 I saw the movie , The Yakuza , in 1975 . I remember going into the theater and not knowing what to expect . Sidney Pollack directed this film . He'd just finished The Way We Were and later went on to do Out of Africa and Tootsie . Mr . Pollack was drawn to the script of The Yakuza because it dealt with honor , obligation , friendship , and lost love . It was also his chance to learn more about the Japanese culture and how we differ from them and their way of thinking . For me , it was a learning experience about true friendship and keeping one's promises .
The story deals with Harry Kilmer ( played by Robert Mitchum ) being asked by one of his best friends , George Tanner ( played by Brian Keith ) , to go to Japan and rescue his daughter , who's been kidnapped by the Japanese Yakuza . It seems that Tanner had business dealings with the Yakuza and was supposed to buy guns for one clan in particular . He spent the money , rather than buying the weapons , and now his daughter is being held as a hostage until the guns are produced . Kilmer reluctantly returns to Japan to fulfill his debt to Tanner , but in order to save Tanner's daughter , he has to call in an old favor from a Japanese man named Tanaka Ken ( played by Ken Takakura ) . The payment of this debt will bring great pain into Ken's life and create an obligation on Kilmer's part . In the end , both men will have to join together to take on a Yakuza clan in mortal combat - - two men with only a shotgun and a sword against thirty .
This is much more than a movie about swordplay and violence . It's a love story about loss and redemption . It's about how a person chooses to repay his debts because it's his actions that make him a man . It's about friendship and the cost it entails . If you're true of heart , this movie can't help but resonate with you . I've seen it at least twenty-five times over the last thirty years , and the ending is just as powerful now as it was back in 1975 . I can still feel Robert Mitchum's pain as he pushes a token of his apology toward Tanaka Ken and ask that he and Eiko be forgiven for the pain that's been brought into his life . The DVD of The Yakuza has a fifteen-minute vintage featurette on the making of the movie . That turned out to be better than I thought it would . There's a feature-length commentary with Sidney Pollack , which isn't too bad . He talks about what drew him to the script and how the Japanese culture intrigued him . There's also a lot of discussion about lighting and why he used the wide screen format for this film . Last , there are subtitles for all the Japanese that's spoken in the movie . Some of the VHS videos had many of the subtitles deleted , but not so in the DVD . This is the 112 minute version that was released in the United States and not the 123 minute version that was seen in Japan . The motion picture soundtrack by Dave Grusin can now be found on CD through Amazon . Only three thousands copies of the CD were pressed and that was done back in early 2006 . I had to pay an arm and a leg for my copy , but it was worth it . Of all the movies I've seen over the last fifty years , The Yakuza remains my all-time favorite film . Highly recommended ! ! !
018 4 I am really puzzled as to how i could have possibly overlooked such a classic movie all these years . After a long time , i have seen a movie that has really overwhelmed me like this one .
The Yakuza tells the story of Harry Kilmer ( Robert Mitchum ) a PI , who goes to Tokyo to get back his friend Tanner's daughter from the Yakuza . The Yakuza had kidnapped the girl as a part of a financial deal gone wrong between Tanner and Tono Toshiro , one of the Yakuza oyabun ( boss )
To do so , Harry instills the help of Tanaka Ken ( played by the amazing Ken Takakura ) , an ex-Yakuza , whose sister Eiko is loved by Harry , but due to certain circumstances Eiko cannot reciprocate his love to Harry and does not agree to marry him . The rest of the story involves a very heart wrenching plot twist and an ending that will leave you in tears . It explores in great detail , the interpretation of giri , what it means to the Japanese and what it should mean to people in general about a person making good on his debts .
Whatever happened to movie making like this , i sometimes wonder . The fight / sword action sequences are so believable and realistic , not this idiotic flying across the room and slashing a 100 villains etc . .
I believe the best aspects of this movie are the unspoken emotions and facial expressions among the actors ( Robert Mitchum , Ken Takakura ) who deliver amazing performances , very well directed by Sydney Pollack .
In my opinion , this movie should be added to your collection , as it is in mine . It is that good .
Some of my fav scenes are
1 . The opening scene , where the Yakuza Kato bends down and delivers his introduction to Tono and tells him , his position is higher , so Kato will to deliver his introduction first .
2 . The last scene , i cannot go into the details as it would be a potential spolier , but it really moved me to tears .
020 4 The Yakuza is one of those slow introductory films that seems like it will be pure melodrama , but then dramatically turns into full-fledged action served with a side of revenge . Director Sydney Pollack has no fears of educating the nondescript viewer into the world of Japanese culture , specifically that of the renowned Yakuza . Robert Mitchum is our lead , as we travel into Japan to help a friend , reunite with family , and eventually bring down a whole slew of gangsters . This film begins like a simple trip , all the normal stops are made and emotional heartstrings are pulled - it is dull at first . Pollack's introduction into not only the world of the Yakuza , but also into Mitchum's past with our majority characters initially felt heavy . While it was easy to follow these characters , more was needed to make our interaction with them more enticing , or more relevant . The first act of this film pulls out of the gate , with no hope of finishing the race . Mitchum is entertaining as a man knowledgeable of Japanese culture , and because we didn't quite know all of his past , he is captivatingly mischievous . His friends , his possible daughter , his connections with the gangsters , kept my eyes glued to the screen - even if the beginning of the journey jaded me . Then , The Yakuza changed .
What was at the outset was this uninteresting voyage from point A to point B in Mitchum's past , suddenly ( and surprisingly ) transformed into this action film , equipped with double-cross , mayhem , and deliciously choreographed fight sequences . It felt as if Mitchum wanted to get his feet we prior to just firing a gun throughout the film , and I don't blame him - but the pace drastically needed to be quicker . Then Pollack introduced us to , whom many consider the star of this film , Ken Takakura . My first introduction to this man , I was left desiring more . His stone stare , the pensive ego , the unknown past ( both in this film and an actor ) brought a fresh page to this story . His quiet demeanor allowed us to understand the Japanese Yakuza culture and comprehend the pride that follows . As Takakura enters this film , it changes . He brings life into an otherwise recycled drama - and I think Pollack knows that . Whenever possible he uses Takakura , and weaves a story that at times feels more about Takakura than about Mitchum . Perhaps the work of Takakura's acting ability , or more the ability that a young Paul Schrader had prior to Taxi Driver - this film becomes an important film once Takakura becomes involved .
I must admit , this film took several times to get into , especially with the sluggish introduction . I wasn't sold on Mitchum , trying to understand his relationship with everyone else surrounding him - and wondering why at nearly forty minutes we hadn't been properly introduced to the Yakuza yet . Then , like a phoenix in the night - Takakura arrives , and we are handed a powerful film full of betrayal and consequences . Pollack's direction , much like Mitchum's character , takes a moment to warm up , but in full swing , Pollack understands what he is doing and executes without forgiveness . The Yakuza is a brilliant film , one of those classic 70s films that I could imagine watching as a child and finding respect for the Yakuza . Like what Goodfellas was in the 90s , The Yakuza creates that same atmosphere - yet probably less watched . My suggestion - trudge through the first thirty minutes , and be prepared for a film that requires another viewing , an attention to detail , and a combination of both intriguing acting and powerful direction . The Yakuza was impressive .
Grade : * * * * out of * * * * *
022 4 This review is from :
The Yakuza ( DVD )
This is an excellent movie in its own right , and it helps define the meaning of giri or obligation , in a way which any number of more modern , violent caricatures fail miserably to do so . It is not always given to us to do as we would wish , but we have the choice to take our responsibilities and our obligations seriously , regardless of any modern elastic interpretation of what may or may not constitute morality . While this is a work of fiction , and the violence is seriously subdued compared to today's fare ( which is not a bad thing ) , this movie should be required watching to anyone interested in things Japanese , including the martial arts ( and not for the fight scenes ) .
023 4 This is an excellent movie in its own right , and it helps define the meaning of giri or obligation , in a way which any number of more modern , violent caricatures fail miserably to do so . It is not always given to us to do as we would wish , but we have the choice to take our responsibilities and our obligations seriously , regardless of any modern elastic interpretation of what may or may not constitute morality . While this is a work of fiction , and the violence is seriously subdued compared to today's fare ( which is not a bad thing ) , this movie should be required watching to anyone interested in things Japanese , including the martial arts ( and not for the fight scenes ) .
024 4 Robert Mitchum had a mini comeback in the 70s with this film and also as Philip Marlowe in Farewell My Lovely . While he was a great - - if old - - Marlowe , this is the better film .
Sidney Pollock does his best Howard Hawks impression with this story of world weary macho men , the eager young gun , and a code of honor that must be satisfied - - on both sides .
The Yakuza has it all , action , romance , exotic locales and customs , and suspense . The climax is one of the best martial arts sequences in movie history , because while fantastic and very bloody , it keeps its feet on the ground just enough to stay believable .
025 4 Sydney Pollack's ' The Yakuza ' is simply one of the best gangster films ever produced , made more complex , resonant , and distinctive by it's examination of and immersion in the unique and complex culture of Japan , both ancient and modern , and the rigid moral code of its organized criminal clans .
The film also benefits hugely by being made on location in Tokyo , Osaka , and Kyoto , and by the fine performances of the marvelous Japanese actors in the cast , especially Keiko Kishi , a much-respected actress , and the iconic Ken Takakura , sometimes called the Clint Eastwood of Japan . And , along with the film's often eloquent dialogue , it is his quiet , stoically resonant performance , along with Mitchum's wonderfully world-weary yet warm contribution , which gives the film its mournfully haunting emotional core .
And , at its heart , that core deals with the theme of giri . Japanese for obligation , it is also defined as burden , or , more specifically , the burden hardest to bear . It is this theme which forms the powerful background to a moving and uncommonly layered study of obligation , honor , and friendship , and what those concepts mean when taken to their ultimate extreme .
Not particularly gory or explicit by today's standards - - or even when compared to ' The Godfather ' films - - the violence makes a strong impact , nonetheless , both because of how it's choreographed and because of the particular use of the kitana , better known as the samurai sword .
Stylistically , the film has a unique rhythm - - a kind of poetic , almost mystical serenity punctuated by sudden bursts of harsh , kinetic , almost graceful violence . And Pollack's sure direction , both of his actors and the specific events of the world they live in , bring ' The Yakuza ' to vivid life , aided immeasurably by a marvelous screenplay by Leonard Schraeder , Paul Schraeder , and Robert Towne , and by the evocative musical score by Dave Grusin which perfectly captures the mysterious beauty of modern day Japan .
But be mindful of the fact that , by today's standards , the pacing of this film is very leisurely and measured . The same is equally true of other late 60 ' s , early 70 ' s classics like ' Rosemary's Baby ' , ' The Conversation ' , and , to a degree , even ' The Exorcist ' . In other words , ' The Yakuza ' requires patience to let the story unfold in its own time . But the up-side is that this patience will be amply rewarded .
Interestingly , it's worth noting that Ridley Scott paid blatant homage to Pollack's film many years later in his own ' Black Rain ' , a very stylish ( though inferior ) , slickly entertaining action film also set in modern day Japan . In addition to featuring many of the same story elements , including a plot dealing heavily with the Yakuza ( though TONS of films also deal with that ) , the movie co-stars none other than Ken Takakura ! And , both in Takakura's stoic resignation and moral authority , AND in his character's complicated relationship with his reluctant American partner ( Michael Douglas ) , Scott tips his hat more than once to Pollack's undeservedly overlooked gem .
The somewhat barebones Warner Bros . DVD , at last does long overdo justice to the film's wide screen compositions and the lush yet elegantly understated cinematography of Kozo Okazaki , both bringing out the formalized , ritual beauty of Japanese culture and lifestyle .
Additionally , the bonus materials consist of a marvelous audio commentary by the late Sydney Pollack himself , giving much welcome insight into the film's production , and a vintage featurette ( from which I derived the title of my review ) . But don't let that vintage throw you off . Like me , you'd probably expect the usual 1970 ' s light , puff-piece , studio PR department 5 - minute promo . But it turns out that the ' Promises To Keep ' featurette is a much longer , more in-depth making-of piece , with a surprising amount of input from Pollack ( he even narrates ) , as well as lots of behind-the-scenes footage both of rehearsals and the actual shooting .
A film that is like no other , you pass up ` The Yakuza ' at your peril . You really don't want to make the mistake of dismissing this gem as some 70 ' s relic . After all , ' The Godfather ' and ' Chinatown ' are also of that particular vintage !
029 4 This review is from :
The Yakuza ( DVD )
This is truly one of the best Japanese gangster movies ever made . Robert Mitchum is wonderful . This proves my feeling that if you wait years and years and years the great movies will eventually come out on dvd . Now I can retire my VHS version .
031 4 I've been waiting for this to hit DVD for about 6 years , and it's finally here ! The transfer is great , but the case is kind of cheap and thin . If you don't care about strictly cosmetic annoyances , go ahead and order it .
032 4 If I would be requested what has been my favorite and personal cult movie of this talented director , I would pronounce myself for this superb although many times overlooked movie . Probably , no other film has blended with such accuracy , the Amercian gangster genre with the traditional Japanese Samurai . Besides we should wait for two films of the Nineties visibly inspired for this one : Ridley Scott's Black rain and Phil Kaufman's Raising sun .
When Harry Kilmer ( Robert Mitchum ) is aware that a friend's daughter has been kidnapped and held for ransom , he decides to join forces with a well known Japanese contact .
The rest runs for you in this intriguing web of suspense and explosive action .
034 4 This review is from :
The Yakuza ( DVD )
A Masterpiece . One of the best films of all time . Pollack captures an authentic view of real Japanese culture while mixing in the American influence . Deep , genuine and moving . Unbelievably well done for both sides of the ocean . A must see and a must have .
036 4 I saw this movie on TV back in the early eighties but never finished it because I had to leave for an appointment . Over the years , images from the movie continued to stay in my mind and I always hoped to catch it on TV again . When I saw it was offered on Amazon , I took the chance and ordered it . I wasn't disappointed . This movie is a little dated , but the acting and story line is timeless - - a man struggling with love and loyalty willing to sacrifice his own hopes for a higher good . That's the inner story played to perfection by Mitchum . On top of that , a good crime story combining a Judas ' friend , Yakuza gangsters , and one good man trying to do what's right . I don't regret tracking this movie down and finishing it 20 years later !
039 4 This review is from :
The Yakuza ( DVD )
This is a first rate thriller about the Japanese mafia with an aging Robert Mitchum in one of his best roles as an American who comes back to the orient to right some old wrongs . Fast paced , exciting and intelligent , it has much more to offer with its depiction of friendship , respect and above all honor . This film was vastly ignored when it played theatrically and that's a shame because it is infinitely superior to the type of fare in this genre being made today . It's one of my all-time favorites .
040 4 This is a first rate thriller about the Japanese mafia with an aging Robert Mitchum in one of his best roles as an American who comes back to the orient to right some old wrongs . Fast paced , exciting and intelligent , it has much more to offer with its depiction of friendship , respect and above all honor . This film was vastly ignored when it played theatrically and that's a shame because it is infinitely superior to the type of fare in this genre being made today . It's one of my all-time favorites .
041 4 Great drama where east meets west . One of Robert Mitchum's best stories .
A story of honour .
043 4 For a movie made in the 70s , this Pollack production deserves a hats-off for being so way ahead of its time . From a Kendo class with very accurate kata to Ginza's neon lights , the film gets it astonishingly spot on , which is remarkable given the preoccupation of the rest of the world with the meteoric rise of that whole Japan chimera at the time .
The script is a tough , well-constructed tale of a tired man returning one last time to the past , back to the biggest regret of his life , ultimately gaining a deeper understanding of what really happened and atoning for his sins . Part love story , part intense drama , part ode to all things Japan .
The acting is pretty decent all round . Ken Takakura was on his baby steps into Hollywood but still at the top of his game . Mitchum was reliably strong and despite being past middle age at this time he took the younger actors for a lick in his scenes . Keiko Kishi as the aged love interest was insufferable in her TV-drama style piffling and convulsing , but let's not go there , she did well to mumble through borderline comprehensible dialogue .
No , it's something else that makes the film somewhat tedious to sit through . Perhaps the rendition of the script on to the screen was way too sluggish for modern tastes , even for kindred souls like me who don't mind Kurosawa's epics . Or perhaps it was the multitude of mighty themes - - honor , loyalty , burden , duty , friendship , love , loss , obligation , and the differences between the men of pre and post war Japan - - all smooshed into one steaming mishmash . Or maybe I simply missed having the DVD quality that I'm spoilt with , the movie is only available on VHS or a letterboxed LD .
Whatever its failings , its widescreen compositions merit mention , they're stupendous , especially some moments like a battle in the denouement . Recommended rental for sure , in particular if you wish to get a glimpse of Tokyo . Just be prepared for some melodrama .
044 4 This review is from :
The Yakuza ( DVD )
I like certain elements of this film , however , this movie moves at a rather slow pace and some of it is more than a little bit cheesy . It does have a good tone and setting . Ken Takakura is great in this movie . I am a Robert Mitchum fan ( Out of the Past is one of my all-time favorite movies ) but , although he is ok in this movie , this is not his finest hour by far . That being said , if you can get this movie for less than 10 bucks it would be worth your time .
045 4 I like certain elements of this film , however , this movie moves at a rather slow pace and some of it is more than a little bit cheesy . It does have a good tone and setting . Ken Takakura is great in this movie . I am a Robert Mitchum fan ( Out of the Past is one of my all-time favorite movies ) but , although he is ok in this movie , this is not his finest hour by far . That being said , if you can get this movie for less than 10 bucks it would be worth your time .
019 4 A moving depiction of classical samurai values conflicting with the realities of the modern world . Features fine kenjutsu and iai performances that , though choreographed , are evocative of the actualities of close in-hand sword fencing . Explorations of the values of the classical Japanese warrior are insightful . Beautiful and horrifying .
035 4 A Masterpiece . One of the best films of all time . Pollack captures an authentic view of real Japanese culture while mixing in the American influence . Deep , genuine and moving . Unbelievably well done for both sides of the ocean . A must see and a must have .
026 4 This belongs in Robert Mitchum's filmography as one of the best films he did in his later years . Granted he went back to the westerns that he did in his earlier years with little success , this genre-breaking off beat film noir reestablished his flagging film career for a long while longer . Along with The Friends of Eddie Coyle , Big Mitch could still show us he had the vinegar to be a fine film actor . Definitely recommended for Mitchum fans and action buffs , Mitchum blends well with Japanese superstar , Ken Tarakura , who would later star in another noir film , Black Rain . But this is the better of the two thanks to sensitive direction by Sidney Pollack and a great script by the Schrader brothers .
010 4 The Yakuza is certainly worth watching as both film noir and a look at post-war Japan . Mitchum and Ken , classic tough guys representing disparate cultures , form an unlikely buddy team in what is ultimately an exploration of differences in the Western and Japanese view of life and it's responsibilities . Great writing by Paul Schrader with Robert Towne doing the script doctoring .
038 4 Stick with this 70s crime curio . The tense , violent second half will have you on the edge of your seat as you ponder - - Sydney Pollack directed this ? Great performance by Takakura Ken .
027 4 Wonderfully plotted - - with twists reminiscent of Chinatown - - and beautifully acted , this tale of trust and betrayal , love and obligation encapsulates the spirit of post-WWII Japan and the effects of immersion in a foreign culture on a man ( Robert Mitchum ) . Believing he is doing a favor for an old friend who has run afoul of the Japanese mob ( the Yakuza of the title ) , Robert Mitchum returns to Japan where he re-experiences his love for a Japanese woman , learns of a friend's lies and betrayals , and pays a heavy price for that discovery . Ultimately , this movie is not about violence and death - - although there is enough of it to make Quentin Tarantino proud , or envious - - it is , rather , about duty and obligation ( in Japanese , ' giri ' ) , and how one comes to assume a duty or an obligation . A gem .
037 4 Jointly scripted by Robert Towne ( Chinatown ) and Paul Schrader ( Taxi Driver ) , this riveting East-meets-West action thriller is expertly handled by Pollack , and features great , low-key acting by a haggard-looking , middle-aged Mitchum . With its twin themes of honor and guilt , Yakuza certainly belongs in the Schrader canon , and the story arc is boosted immensely by sword expert Takakura's explosive run-ins with Japanese thugs . Keiko Kishi provides excellent support , too , as Mitchum's long-ago lover , and their interactions give the whole film a rueful air of regret . Few films of the action genre are as soulfully felt , or ring so sorrowfully true .
028 4 i have been waiting for this on dvd and now finally it is here . . . as wayne-san said the american release is shorter . . . the original is 123 minutes unlike this version which is 10 minutes shorter . . . the euro release is even shorter at 107 minutes
i originally got this on vcd from a supplier in the phillipines and it has the complete un-edited version but it is not as good as dvd of course
great movie . . . glad it is out even if it edited
013 4 great movie - i own it on laser disc and would like to get it on dvd and am ordering on video . great insight into the traditions of the east versus the west and how the right spirit can move between and through both worlds . the interweaving of worlds and their mingling throughout the plot is great to watch unfold . black rain was a poor replica of this . please bring it to dvd .
