Review of Red Beard (1965) by Ryan W — 07 May 2007

The effect and emotion this film extracts from viewers is indescribable. The film is a study of relationships and the way in which kindness and love can overcome all personal obstacles. A heart-breaking narrative at times, it draws character symapthy at its highest level. Kurosawa constructs a film where the underlying narrative is basic and ultimately slow-moving (duration of the film is over 3 hours long). What Kurosawa employs is various scenarios and sub-plots where human nature and pchyche are brought into question. Each scenario demonstrates a different but applicable lesson. One sub-plot that particularly stood out for me was the relationship shared between reformed doctor Yasumuto and his first patient, a young and mis-treated girl who was collected by himself and Dr. Niide (articulated by the great Mifune) from a brothel. The majority of the initial stages of this relationship were filmed in a single shot within the confides of Yasumuto's room. At first the young girl seems unbreakable, Yasumuto cannot gain her trust in order to medicate her. She continues to swipe the spoons of medicine and the bowls of water. Her first words to Yasumuto are ones that seem most provoking after Dr Niide patiently watched the young girl swipe spoon after spoon of medicine from his hands, she said: 'Why didn't he hit me?'.

Not only does the film shed light onto provoking themes and ideologies that seem to distant in popular contemporary films, like all Kurosawa films, Red Beard is a perfect cinematic achievement. Akira proved with this and a handful of his other films, that he can quite competently direct a drama and a non-popular genre film as well as the genre he made famous; action films. If there is one word that this film advocates, it's gratitude (Don't worry, if the absense of action seems much to foreign for a Kurosawa film, which it shouldn't, there is one fight scene. Ironic, considering it is quite brutal).