Movies - The Yakuza

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	Movies - The Yakuza

The Yakuza is a film written by Paul Schrader and Robert Towne and directed by Sydney Pollack, which examines Japan as seen from western eyes.

A big step forward from previous American films based in Japan, most notably Marlon Brando's The Teahouse of the August Moon
(1956) which cast Brando in "yellowface" as the Japanese character "Sakini" and Sayonara
(1957), featuring Ricardo Montalban as the Japanese character "Nakamura".

Warner Bros paid Paul and his brother Leonard the then-record sum of $325,000.00 USD for their debut story, which would provide Paul his break into Hollywood and go on to pen the Scorsese classics Taxi Driver
(1976) and Raging Bull
(1980). Robert Aldrich was originally pegged to direct but Robert Mitchum, who had worked with Aldrich on the dismal The Angry Hills (1959), had him replaced by Pollack.

Though now dated, "The Yakuza" remains a rich and poignant look at Japan during its transition from its role in the war and the US occupation to the economic powerhouse of the 1980s. Its influences can be seen in contemporary movies such Black Rain (1989), Brother (2001), Kill Bill
(2004) and Into the Sun
(2005).

Synopsis

"The Yakuza" is an often underrated film starring Robert Mitchum as Harry Kilmer, a World War II veteran with a questionable past who was stationed in Japan during the US occupation. Asked by Army buddy George Tanner (Brian Keith) to help him find his kidnapped daughter, Kilmer returns to Japan and is reunited with his former love Eiko (Keiko Kishi), and her brother and yakuza mobster, Ken Tanaka (Takakura Ken).

Pollack takes us through the shadowy Japanese underworld and attempts to explain the Japanese concept of giri or obligation through the traditional Tanaka and his American counterparts Kilmer and Tanner. Kilmer learns the cost of such a debt as he acts on Tanner's behalf and taps former rival Tanaka for assistance in seeking Tanner's daughter.

Takakura is spectacular, featuring his famous austere manner and paving the way for his roles in the American films Black Rain
and Mr. Baseball
(1992), giving the already locally popular star international cachet while Mitchum plays the part of the rueful and determined Kilmer to a "T" in what is, arguably, the last great role of his long and distinguished career.

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

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for The Yakuza ]

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