Review of Drunken Angel (1948) by Rick R — 26 Jan 2009

Perhaps even more so than Stray Dog, Drunken Angel portrays postwar Japan in all of its glory, or lack thereof to be exact. Mifune, in his first role with Kurosawa shows the beginnings of what is clear even from this film is a collaboration unlike any other in the history of film.

Shimura is excellent as the drunken doctor as well. Again, like many of his early films, Kurosawa employs symbolism and even a very un-Kurosawa-like dream sequence (the only other examples I can think of are Kagemusha and technically Dreams).

Although at times it panders to the American Occupation in Japan, Drunken Angel remains a gripping social commentary that showcases the spark that would ignite into Kurosawa/Mifune's later masterpieces.