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From Amazon.co.uk
The Bad Sleep Well tells the story of corruption at the highest levels of Japanese business and its tragic consequences. Though flawed by a tedious introductory sequence and by an ending that seems out of sync with the story, it is a fascinating movie and the middle part is especially exciting.
Japanese legend Toshiro Mifune plays Koichi Nishi, the seemingly stoic bridegroom who is trying to get ahead by marrying the boss's daughter, Kieko (Kyoko Kagawa), who was crippled as a girl. The bride's brother, in a shocking display, exposes the groom's motives during his wedding toast and threatens his new brother-in-law with death if he disappoints his sister. But Nishi is not who we think. He was born the illegitimate son of the man who Kieko's father, Iwabuchi (Maysayuki Mori), manipulated into suicide. Now Nishi wants revenge for his father's death. As Nishi slowly destroys Iwabuchi's life, he makes the fatal error of falling in love with his wife, who already loves him. Their unconsummated marriage stands between these two like a palpable pillar of stone. But just when we think the stone has been tossed aside by love, Iwabuchi finds out who his son-in-law really is.
Shot in black and white, this film falls just short of being brilliant. Mifune is amazing in his portrayal of this complex man who lets his father's past destroy his own future and Maysayuki Mori's performance as the evil Iwabuchi is understated but nonetheless chilling. --LuanneBrown
Product Description
This was Akira Kurosawa's first independent feature and for it he adapted an Ed McBain thriller, transposing the action to Japan. In this tale of revenge, Koichi Nishi (Toshiro Mifune) obtains a position as private scretary to Iwabuchi (Masayuki Mori), the government official he suspects killed his father. Nishi then marries Iwabuchi's daughter and plans a fitting retribution.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By R. DONLAN
Format:DVD
I came to the films of Akira Kurosawa through his Samurai films, the Seven Samurai, Sanjuro, Yojimbo etc, when I had exhausted these I turned to his more contemporary films and I was not disappointed with what I found as they are just as good.
Kurosawa wanted to make a film of Social significance for this he chose to look at corruption hiding behind the faceless Japanese Corporations and show the more powerful you are the more corrupt you are.
Basically this is a story of revenge, very much based on Hamlet, it revovles around Toshiro Mifune's character who plots revenge against those who were to blame for the death of his father. He does this by by infiltrating the ranks of the Public Corporation,then cynically marries the President's daughter in order to expose all the conspirators.
The whole film starts at the wedding, this is a wonderful start to the film as we get to meet all the characters of the piece almost all in one go, and we gain an understanding of what has transpired and with the arrival of the extra wedding cake which is a copy of the Public Corporation building with the window Mifunes dead father jumped from to his so called 'suicide' highlighted with a rose we get to see at first hand who the guilty parties are from glances and looks of panic and terror.
Francis Ford Coppola said, it was as perfect a first thirty minutes to a film he has ever seen'
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this film to anyone it's a great piece of cinema from one of the all time great Director's.
Kurosawa wanted to make a film of Social significance for this he chose to look at corruption hiding behind the faceless Japanese Corporations and show the more powerful you are the more corrupt you are.
Basically this is a story of revenge, very much based on Hamlet, it revovles around Toshiro Mifune's character who plots revenge against those who were to blame for the death of his father. He does this by by infiltrating the ranks of the Public Corporation,then cynically marries the President's daughter in order to expose all the conspirators.
The whole film starts at the wedding, this is a wonderful start to the film as we get to meet all the characters of the piece almost all in one go, and we gain an understanding of what has transpired and with the arrival of the extra wedding cake which is a copy of the Public Corporation building with the window Mifunes dead father jumped from to his so called 'suicide' highlighted with a rose we get to see at first hand who the guilty parties are from glances and looks of panic and terror.
Francis Ford Coppola said, it was as perfect a first thirty minutes to a film he has ever seen'
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this film to anyone it's a great piece of cinema from one of the all time great Director's.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Tim Kidner
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
Watched this as part of BFI's Kurosawa Crime Collection. It states on the packaging that it's 105 mins, but ran for 145. Every film listing has it running at a different length. Amazon list it at 135m, IMDB at 151m and Radio Times on-line at 127m. Whichever way you look at it, it's a pretty long feature.
There's plenty of twists and turns to fill that length and whilst one thinks one's keeping up with the plot, it twists again. I couldn't help muttering "leave it at that!" as it turns yet another corner.
Toshiro Mifune, as always, gets top billing but he's not the main character. It's generally older actors, one being the chief inspector in Kurosawa's earlier Stray Dog, that play various businessmen and corporate bigwigs. The corruption and legal wranglings seemed largely feasible and often fascinating. At most times it's engaging as well as involving and thus enjoyable. It did remind of the sort of U.S dramas of the '50s, where say, Henry Fonda would have starred.
I understand that The Bad Sleep Well flopped in its native country and whilst accomplished and well directed (& requiring 5 screenwriters), this departure from his usual fare was a mistake for Kurosawa. I would really have liked to award 3 & three quarter stars.
There's plenty of twists and turns to fill that length and whilst one thinks one's keeping up with the plot, it twists again. I couldn't help muttering "leave it at that!" as it turns yet another corner.
Toshiro Mifune, as always, gets top billing but he's not the main character. It's generally older actors, one being the chief inspector in Kurosawa's earlier Stray Dog, that play various businessmen and corporate bigwigs. The corruption and legal wranglings seemed largely feasible and often fascinating. At most times it's engaging as well as involving and thus enjoyable. It did remind of the sort of U.S dramas of the '50s, where say, Henry Fonda would have starred.
I understand that The Bad Sleep Well flopped in its native country and whilst accomplished and well directed (& requiring 5 screenwriters), this departure from his usual fare was a mistake for Kurosawa. I would really have liked to award 3 & three quarter stars.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Akira Kurosawa is one of my favourite director's. I'm a big fan of his samurai films - The Yojimbo and The Seven Samurai. But this to me is his best, for one it's set in the modern day, where as the majority of his films are period movies. This is an exciting thriller - a tale of greed,corruption and revenge, which some critics say owes to Hamlet. The film stars Kurosawa regular Toshiro Mifune as Nishi a secretary for the head(who is also his father-in-law)of a large building corporation. I won't say anymore as not to ruin any of the twists. Needless to say I love this film and along with Kurosawa's excellent kidnap thriller High and Low represents him at his contemporary movie best. The video is presented in tohoscope widescreen to retain his excellent compositions.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Underrated Japanese film noir
Kurosawa and Mifune come together in this classic tale of revenge. Mifune infiltrates a family to avenge the forced suicide of his father. Read more
Published on 18 Sep 2008 by Mr. G. Carroll
4.0 out of 5 stars
An interesting Kurosawa film about corporate corruption, with a fine...
Despite many good elements, The Bad Sleep Well is one Kurosawa movie that didn't involve me much, either emotionally or in the story telling. Read more
Published on 11 July 2007 by C. O. DeRiemer
1.0 out of 5 stars
Poor English Subtitles
Classic Kurosawa is marred by ludicrous subtitling, making the plot virtually impossible to follow.
If you don't speak Japanese avoid this edition if possible.
If you don't speak Japanese avoid this edition if possible.
Published on 19 Jan 2005 by Geoffrey Boccalate
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