starring Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai
directed by Akira Kurosawa
143 minutes
Kingo Gondo (Toshiro Mifune) one of the directors of a shoe manufacturing company is getting ready to execute a hostile takeover of the shoe company when he gets a phone call telling him that his son has been kidnapped. It turns that his son is safe and that the kidnapper grabbed the son of Aoki, Gondo's chauffeur, by mistake. The kidnapper discovers the mistake but still insists that Gondo pay a very large ransom, most of which he was about to use to buy the remaining stock he needed for the hostile takeover.
Chief Detective Tokura (Tatsuya Nakadai) leads the police team that works to find the chauffeur's missing son. The police have very little to go on in the way of leads. Tokura encourages Gondo to consider paying the ransom. Gondo is torn over the situation in which he finds himself. He doesn't want to give up on his business plans. He has borrowed against his house in order to finance the deal. If he uses the money to pay the ransom then he will very likely lose his home.
Gondo decides to pay the ransom. Aoki's son is recovered safe and sound. The police at this point turn their focus towards catching the kidnapper. Bit by bit they are able to piece clues together and get closer and closer to catching the kidnapper.
Thoughts
This film is loosely based on King's Ransom, a novel by Ed McBain.
The first 55 minutes of the movie are set entirely within the home of Kingo Gondo. Just under half of this movie transpires before Aoki's son is recovered. Gondo does not play a big part in the second half of the movie, until the last ten minutes.
The kidnapper seemed almost inhuman at times. He really isn't fleshed out in any way until the very end. Even then he seems to defy his own humanity.
There is an extended scene where the police are tracking the kidnapper, trying to catch him red-handed with evidence, that goes on for probably 15 minutes. It wasn't too long and did not drag but I can see how other people might feel differently about it.
I was very impressed by this movie. It really kept my attention. I was not bored in the least bit. The kidnapper is caught in the end but the ending is pretty bleak and disturbing. It was not an upbeat ending in the least bit.
Akira Kurosawa: It Is Wonderful to Create: High and Low (2002)
37 minutes
This documentary feature is included on the Criterion Collection edition of the DVD which I borrowed from the library. It is about the making of High and Low. Many crew members and a few cast members were interviewed on screen for this feature. Some of the interviews were audio only and may have been originally recorded for radio. Akira Kurosawa and Tatsuya Nakadai are the most prominent people interviewed. The stories told and anecdotes related were organized according to which part of the movie they were from. There were some amusing and interesting stories but I don't feel as if this is essential viewing.
Interview with Toshiro Mifune (1981)
30 minutes
This interview was done for Japanese television. Mifune was interviewed by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi for her television program. Mifune talks about growing up in China, his service in the army during World War 2, and his experiences as an actor. The interview doesn't touch on High and Low.
Interview with Tsutomu Yamazaki (2008)
20 minutes
This interview is mostly about High and Low. Yamazaki played the kidnapper. The interviewer is not seen or heard from during the interview. It is just Yamazaki. There are a few clips from the movie shown during the interview.
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