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"Kurosawa's early stylistic experimentations turn a nightclub stopover into a monstrous parody of an American jitterbug dance-off, and when blood gets finally spilled, it's in a slip-and-slide Yakuza frenzy choreographed amid splattered paint." - Fernando F. Croce

Aside from a somewhat interesting dynamic between Mifune and Shimura, a very well done ending, and the fact that the aforementioned Mifune is always a joy to watch, this film is merely good which judging from the other Kurosawa films I've seen is clearly on the lower spectrum of his work. The film seemed to me to waste a lot of it's potential, dragging very badly by the halfway mark. Still, this film was well worth watching and I'll recommend it. Still, I don't know if I'll ever see it again.

Like most Kurosawa I've seen it's damn good. Initially I thought the film was a bit thin but I think I'd change that assessment to simplistic. It's not a harsh criticism but I felt whenever the movie left the doctor for too long it was less engaging. Still, it's quite good and the references to the ravaged country post-ww2 were handled well.

Well-shot but generally uninteresting.

japonlarin birey olamama, kendilerini ait olduklari toplum adina feda etmelerine deginen hikaye, varosta calisan alkolik, ihtiyar, agzina geldigi gibi konusan doktor ile genc yakuza ekseninde donuyor. karakterler ve oyunculuk one cikiyor.

A little blunt at times [Mifune also had some maturing to do] but delivers something in an honest and existential light. Great Shimura role. I particularly enjoy the post-war perspective & dual ending of this.

A very good noir from Kurosawa. Strong performances and and strong shot selection give the film a great atmosphere and the subtext of post-war Japan gives the film added depth. It's not quite a masterpiece as it kind of loses its focus in the second half, but it's still very good and interesting to watch.

The first Kurosawa/Mifune collaboration, and a good noir, paced well and cleanly structured. Mifune and Shimura's characters play off each other well, and it's interesting to see some of their early chemistry. The seedy swamps are a great evocation of postwar Japan; defeated and depressed, providing a pretty atmospheric setting.

Kurusawa does noir. Amazing.

Yet another Kurosawa movie about a flawed but saintly doctor. This one ranks a little bit better than Quiet Duel but still not in the same league as Red Beard. It's a little rough around the edges, and both Mifune and Shimura drift towards hamminess, but it's got some killer camerawork in the moves, angles and edits, and it's never dull for a moment. Excellent use of music, as well. Like many early Kurosawas, it's depressing but with a hopeful note at the end.

A solid presentation, with what would become some typical Kurosawa flourishes later in his career. It's scenes of destruction and disrepair in post-war Japan contribute to the overall critique of American influence in their country at the time.

It's great to watch Mifune and Shimura interact and some of the scenes are truly great cinematography. I didn't much care for the story itself, it just felt a bit one-dimensional and streched out.

A little rough around the edges, but a compelling story nonetheless.

it's almost as if kurosawa's genius is attempting to remain hidden with the diminished quality of the film (actual physical film), it does show through though. this movie is an unabashedly fine example of film making, but at times it can seem a bit sloppy, and the ending was mixed bag, half theatrical prowess, and half contrived BS.

Unfortunately, with a lot of what it has to say, it feels like it fumbles around a little bit before getting the message across. That said the acting was mostly good, the story was pretty interesting, the shots were fantastic and I really liked the use of music here, especially the annoying guitar player.