Holden Pike
01-20-02, 05:47 AM
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/15/TheYakuzaUKquadPoster.jpg
The Yakuza
1975, Sydney Pollack
One of those terrific movies from the 1970s that, for some unknown reason, has been mostly forgotten. It stars Robert Mitchum in what for me is his last great starring role. It's 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 - as much for the benefit of others as himself.
Mithum is Harry Kilmer, a WWII veteran who has drifted through most of his post-war life. An old Army buddy (Brian Keith) calls on him for a favor: return to Japan to negotiate the release of his kidnapped daughter. Keith's business dealings are with The Yakuza, the Japanese equivalent of The Mafia. Kilmer knows that returning to Japan means confronting ghosts. During the occupation after Japan's surrender he fell in love with a local woman, at one point saving her life at great personal risk. Later her brother, thought dead, returned to Tokyo and forbid that they ever marry. The brother, Tanaka Ken (played by Ken Takakura), was a respected and feared Yakuza. He is eternally in debt to Harry for saving his sister and her daughter's lives, but still forbade marriage. Because she accepted this, Harry left her and Japan behind. Going back after all these years will be painful, but as a favor to Keith he agrees.
http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/images/05/37/yakuza2.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6paQGJedZzc/R-NROgJ7ytI/AAAAAAAAAFs/qaCDaAplI4U/s320/TheYakuza_Takakura_screen_shot.jpg
What follows is equal parts suspense, action and drama. There are incredible bursts of violence and action when Harry and Ken tangle with Yakuza (Ken has 'retired' from their service many years before). Tanaka Ken also has old demons to face, including an estranged brother who is a high-ranking Yakuza. The action culminates with a raid of a compound where Ken, armed only with a sword, and Harry, toting a .45 and shotgun, go against some forty men. The fight sequences are very well staged and credible, without the over-stylized posturing of the post-John Woo and Matrix era of cinematic action.
http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/d/d5/Y32.jpg/550px-Y32.jpg
Along the way the drama of the story also unfolds, revealing double crosses, regret, honor and old secrets. The film concludes with two perfect acts by our protagonists that are sure to have you squirming in empathetic pain.
Sydney Pollack's (Three Days of the Condor, Tootsie, The Firm) direction is tight. The two central performances are spot on. The supporting cast is just as good, including Keith, Richard Jordan (Logan's Run, Gettysburg), Herb Edelman (The Odd Couple, California Suite), and James Shigeta (the ill-fated Mr. Takagi in Die Hard). This is the granddaddy of latter but lesser efforts like Ridley Scott's Black Rain (1989), the Christopher Lambert vehicle The Hunted (1995), and even Asian/American crime flick's like Cimino's Year of the Dragon (1985). But for me, none of those movies are anywhere near as interesting as The Yakuza, including Black Rain, which co-stars the same Ken Takakura.
I'm a bit baffled why such a quality movie has been essentially tossed aside and is virtually unknown today, even by some who would consider themselves minor film buffs. Screenplay credit includes legendary scribes Robert Towne (Chinatown) and Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver), the original idea and drafts coming from Schrader's older brother, Leonard. Dave Grusin's score is effective, and the cinematography by Duke Callaghan and Kozo Okazaki is wonderful. Unfortunately it isn't currently available on DVD, and can only be found letterboxed on LaserDisc. Seeing this movie's widescreen compositions, especially for moments like the final battle, is a must.
This is a true personal favorite that I champion whenever possible, a good movie waiting to be rediscovered.
GRADE: A-
The Yakuza
1975, Sydney Pollack
One of those terrific movies from the 1970s that, for some unknown reason, has been mostly forgotten. It stars Robert Mitchum in what for me is his last great starring role. It's 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 - as much for the benefit of others as himself.
Mithum is Harry Kilmer, a WWII veteran who has drifted through most of his post-war life. An old Army buddy (Brian Keith) calls on him for a favor: return to Japan to negotiate the release of his kidnapped daughter. Keith's business dealings are with The Yakuza, the Japanese equivalent of The Mafia. Kilmer knows that returning to Japan means confronting ghosts. During the occupation after Japan's surrender he fell in love with a local woman, at one point saving her life at great personal risk. Later her brother, thought dead, returned to Tokyo and forbid that they ever marry. The brother, Tanaka Ken (played by Ken Takakura), was a respected and feared Yakuza. He is eternally in debt to Harry for saving his sister and her daughter's lives, but still forbade marriage. Because she accepted this, Harry left her and Japan behind. Going back after all these years will be painful, but as a favor to Keith he agrees.
http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/images/05/37/yakuza2.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6paQGJedZzc/R-NROgJ7ytI/AAAAAAAAAFs/qaCDaAplI4U/s320/TheYakuza_Takakura_screen_shot.jpg
What follows is equal parts suspense, action and drama. There are incredible bursts of violence and action when Harry and Ken tangle with Yakuza (Ken has 'retired' from their service many years before). Tanaka Ken also has old demons to face, including an estranged brother who is a high-ranking Yakuza. The action culminates with a raid of a compound where Ken, armed only with a sword, and Harry, toting a .45 and shotgun, go against some forty men. The fight sequences are very well staged and credible, without the over-stylized posturing of the post-John Woo and Matrix era of cinematic action.
http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/d/d5/Y32.jpg/550px-Y32.jpg
Along the way the drama of the story also unfolds, revealing double crosses, regret, honor and old secrets. The film concludes with two perfect acts by our protagonists that are sure to have you squirming in empathetic pain.
Sydney Pollack's (Three Days of the Condor, Tootsie, The Firm) direction is tight. The two central performances are spot on. The supporting cast is just as good, including Keith, Richard Jordan (Logan's Run, Gettysburg), Herb Edelman (The Odd Couple, California Suite), and James Shigeta (the ill-fated Mr. Takagi in Die Hard). This is the granddaddy of latter but lesser efforts like Ridley Scott's Black Rain (1989), the Christopher Lambert vehicle The Hunted (1995), and even Asian/American crime flick's like Cimino's Year of the Dragon (1985). But for me, none of those movies are anywhere near as interesting as The Yakuza, including Black Rain, which co-stars the same Ken Takakura.
I'm a bit baffled why such a quality movie has been essentially tossed aside and is virtually unknown today, even by some who would consider themselves minor film buffs. Screenplay credit includes legendary scribes Robert Towne (Chinatown) and Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver), the original idea and drafts coming from Schrader's older brother, Leonard. Dave Grusin's score is effective, and the cinematography by Duke Callaghan and Kozo Okazaki is wonderful. Unfortunately it isn't currently available on DVD, and can only be found letterboxed on LaserDisc. Seeing this movie's widescreen compositions, especially for moments like the final battle, is a must.
This is a true personal favorite that I champion whenever possible, a good movie waiting to be rediscovered.
GRADE: A-