The Yakuza

The Yakuza is a dramatic film of 1975, written by Leonard Schrader, Paul Schrader and Robert Towne and directed by Sydney Pollack.

The Yakuza depicts the going distress of the traditional Japanese values during the transitional period of the American occupation to the economic success of beginning of the year 70. The history is articulated around the concepts of the debt and the engagement, fidelity to the family and the friends, and the sacrifice. The Eastern and Western values are contrasted there, an opposition appears between the Japanese traditional values, opposed to occidentalized and modern Japan.

This film became worship, and influenced contemporary films such as Black Rain (1989), Aniki, my brother (2001), Kill Bill (2004), Into the Sun (2005) and Blade Runner (1982).

Synopsis

A detective with the retirement, Harry Kilmer (Robert Mitchum), is recalled by a former friend, George Tanner (Brian Keith). Indeed, his/her daughter was removed by a yakuza chief, Tono Toshiro, in order to force this one to deliver the promised weapons to him. To release his/her daughter, Tanner fact wants to call upon old knowledge of Harry Kilmer, which knows Japan and all the wheels of the Japanese trade union of the crime…

Distribution

Robert Mitchum: Harry Kilmer
Ken Takakura : Ken Tanaka
Brian Keith : George To tan
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
Mr. Hisaka: the boyfriend
William Ross: guard To tan
Akiyama: guard of Tono

external bond

card on Imdb

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