The Yakuza
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| The Yakuza | |
|---|---|
 Film poster for The Yakuza |
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| Directed by | Sydney Pollack |
| Produced by | Michael Hamilburg Sydney Pollack Koji Shundo |
| Written by | Leonard Schrader Paul Schrader Robert Towne |
| Starring | Robert Mitchum Ken Takakura Kishi Keiko Richard Jordan |
| Music by | Dave Grusin |
| Distributed by | Warner Brothers |
| Release date(s) |  1974-12-28 1975-03-15 |
| Running time | 123 min 112 min[1] |
| Country | USA / Japan |
| Language | English / Japanese |
| IMDb profile | |
The Yakuza is a 1975 post-noir gangster film written by Leonard Schrader, Paul Schrader and Robert Towne and directed by Sydney Pollack.
The Yakuza portrays the clash of traditional Japanese values during its transition from the US occupation to the economic success of the early 1970s. The storyline hinges on concepts of indebtedness and obligation, loyalty to family and friends, and sacrifice. Eastern and Western values are contrasted, as well as classical Japanese traditions versus a westernized, modern Japan.
Following a lackluster initial release, the film has gained a cult following. The film has influenced such contemporary movies as Black Rain (1989), Brother (2001), Kill Bill (2004), Into the Sun (2005) and Blade Runner (1982).[citation needed]
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[edit] Synopsis
Retired detective Harry Kilmer (Robert Mitchum) is called by an old friend, George Tanner (Brian Keith). Tanner has been doing business with a yakuza gangster, Tono, who has taken Tanner's daughter and her boyfriend hostage to apply pressure in a business deal. Tanner hopes that through Kilmer's Japanese contacts, he can locate and rescue the girl.
Tanner and Kilmer had been Marine MPs and friends in Tokyo during the post-war occupation. Kilmer had fallen in love with a local woman, Eiko (Kishi Keiko), who was involved in the black market. When her young daughter fell ill, Kilmer helped Eiko find penicillin for the child, saving her life. After they'd been living with each other, Eiko's brother Ken (Takakura Ken) returned from an island where he'd been stranded as a Imperial Japanese soldier. Both outraged that his sister was living with his former enemy, and deeply indebted to Kilmer for saving the lives of his (apparently) only remaining family, he disappeared into the yakuza criminal underground, and refused to see or speak to his sister. Kilmer repeatedly asked Eiko to marry him, but she consistently refused. Then and since, Eiko has been cautious to do nothing to offend her brother further. As a parting gift, Kilmer had bought Eiko the coffeehouse/bar which she operates to this day, and they parted, neither of them falling in love or marrying since.
Tanner hopes that Kilmer can contact Ken and use his connections to help him. Ken's debt to Kilmer, giri, is a lifelong debt that traditionally can never be repaid. Ken would, Tanner insists, do anything for Kilmer. Traveling to Tokyo, Kilmer visits Eiko at her coffeehouse; seeing her once again, it is clear Kilmer still loves her deeply and again proposes. Asked about Ken, Eiko says that Ken is no longer a yakuza, but Kilmer visits him at his Kendo school. Ken's animosity towards Kilmer is clear, but together they find and free the girl and her beau. In so doing, Ken injures one of Tono's men and is discovered by one of the gangster's lieutenants, an inexcusable intrusion by Ken in yakuza affairs. Contracts on both Ken and Kilmer's lives are issued. Kilmer resists leaving until the danger to Ken can be resolved. Eiko suggests that he talk to Ken's brother, a high level legal counselor to the yakuza chiefs, whom Kilmer hadn't known about. Goro (James Shigeta) is unable to intercede due to his impartial role in yakuza society, but suggests that Kilmer's obligation to Ken is only binding to those following tradition, and if he doesn't feel bound by Japanese tradition, no one expects Kilmer to act on Ken's behalf.
Guilt-ridden that once again he's interfered with Eiko's family, and endangered Ken, he stays in Tokyo. After an attempt is made on Kilmer's life, he learns that his old friend Tanner had taken out the contract on him. Despite appearances, Tanner and Tono are well-acquainted and successful business partners. During an attack on Ken and Kilmer in the house they are staying in, a stray bullet kills Eiko's daughter, Hanako. Both men are crushed by the tragedy.
Seeking advice again from Ken's brother, Goro advises them that they have to assassinate Tanner and Tono. This will embarrass the partners in the eyes of the yakuza, and clear Ken's honor. Goro discloses that he has a son who has joined Tono's clan, and asks that Ken spare him should he be caught in the battle.
Kilmer finds and kills Tanner, then joins Ken for a near-suicide attack on Tono's residence. During a tense battle, in which Ken kills Tono in the traditional way with a katana, Goro's son attacks them and Ken instinctively kills him.
Bearing the news to his brother, Ken moves to commit hari-kiri, but his brother forbids it. Instead, Ken performs yubitsume (the traditional yakuza apology by cutting off one's little finger) and presents his apology ceremoniously to his brother. After Ken excuses himself, Goro talks with Kilmer, and compliments him on his adherence to Japanese traditions, surprising for a gaijin. Goro then discloses a shocking family secret to Kilmer. Eiko is not Ken's sister but his wife, and Hanako their only daughter. Hearing this, Kilmer finally realizes the true meaning of Eiko and Ken's rift, and Ken's anguish at the death of Hanako.
Before leaving Japan, Kilmer visits Ken, and asks to speak to him formally. While Ken prepares tea, Kilmer quietly commits yubitsume, and when Ken enters the room, waits for him to be seated. Presenting his finger to Ken, he apologizes for "bringing great pain into your life, both in the past and in the present." He humbly asks that Ken reunite with Eiko. Accepting the apology, Ken professes that "no man has a greater friend than Kilmer-san," and Kilmer reciprocates. Parting at the airport, both men bow deeply to each other.
[edit] Background/Production
Warner Bros. paid Paul and his brother Leonard the then-record sum of US$325,000.00[2] for their debut story, which would provide Paul his opportunity into Hollywood and go on to author the Scorsese classics Taxi Driver (1976) and Raging Bull (1980). Robert Aldrich was originally planned to direct but Robert Mitchum, who had worked with Aldrich on the dismal The Angry Hills (1959), had him replaced by Pollack.
[edit] Cast
- Robert Mitchum .... Harry Kilmer
- Ken Takakura .... Ken Tanaka
- Brian Keith .... George Tanner
- Herb Edelman .... Oliver Wheat
- Richard Jordan .... Dusty
- Keiko Kishi .... Eiko Tanaka
- Eiji Okada .... Toshiro Tono
- James Shigeta .... Goro
- Kyosuke Mashida .... Jiro Kato
- Christina Kokubo .... Hanako
- Eiji Go .... Spider
- Lee Chirillo .... Louise
- M. Hisaka .... Boyfriend
- William Ross .... Tanner's guard
- Akiyama .... Tono's guard
- Harada .... Goro's doorman
[edit] Memorable quotes
Harry Kilmer: "Everywhere I look, I can't recognize a thing."
Oliver Wheat: "It's still there. Farmers in the countryside may watch TV from their tatami mats and you can't see Mt. Fuji through the smog, but don't let it fool you. It's still Japan and the Japanese are still Japanese."
Goro: "Ken is a relic, a leftover of another age, of another country."
Dusty: "Well, that can work two ways, Kilmer. If you ain't alive tomorrow, he don't owe you shit."
[edit] Availability
The DVD of The Yakuza was released by Warner Bros. on 2007-01-23.
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ The Yakuza at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Lemmon, Elaine. The Question of Authorship: The Yakuza. Retrieved on 2006-12-17.
- Leonard Schrader site - About the novelization of the film
- Dave Grusin site - Insight into the soundtrack
- Senses of Cinema - an article on the development of the screenplay
[edit] External links
- Film Score Monthly - recently released soundtrack on CD
- The Yakuza at the Internet Movie Database
- The Yakuza at Rotten Tomatoes
