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IMDbPro

Juopunut enkeli

Original title: Yoidore tenshi
  • 19481948
  • K-15K-15
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
12K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
19,321
3,701
Toshirô Mifune in Juopunut enkeli (1948)
CrimeDramaRomance
A drunken doctor with a hot temper and a violence-prone gangster with tuberculosis form a quicksilver bond.A drunken doctor with a hot temper and a violence-prone gangster with tuberculosis form a quicksilver bond.A drunken doctor with a hot temper and a violence-prone gangster with tuberculosis form a quicksilver bond.
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
12K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
19,321
3,701
  • Director
    • Akira Kurosawa
  • Writers
    • Keinosuke Uekusa
    • Akira Kurosawa
  • Stars
    • Takashi Shimura
    • Toshirô Mifune
    • Reizaburô Yamamoto
Top credits
  • Director
    • Akira Kurosawa
  • Writers
    • Keinosuke Uekusa
    • Akira Kurosawa
  • Stars
    • Takashi Shimura
    • Toshirô Mifune
    • Reizaburô Yamamoto
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 55User reviews
    • 76Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 2 nominations

    Photos55

    Reizaburô Yamamoto in Juopunut enkeli (1948)
    Michiyo Kogure in Juopunut enkeli (1948)
    Toshirô Mifune and Noriko Sengoku in Juopunut enkeli (1948)
    Juopunut enkeli (1948)
    Toshirô Mifune and Shirley Yamaguchi in Juopunut enkeli (1948)
    Juopunut enkeli (1948)
    Juopunut enkeli (1948)
    Juopunut enkeli (1948)
    Juopunut enkeli (1948)
    Toshirô Mifune in Juopunut enkeli (1948)
    Juopunut enkeli (1948)
    Michiyo Kogure in Juopunut enkeli (1948)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Takashi Shimura
    Takashi Shimura
    • Sanada
    Toshirô Mifune
    Toshirô Mifune
    • Matsunaga
    Reizaburô Yamamoto
    Reizaburô Yamamoto
    • Okada
    Michiyo Kogure
    Michiyo Kogure
    • Nanae
    Chieko Nakakita
    Chieko Nakakita
    • Miyo
    Noriko Sengoku
    Noriko Sengoku
    • Gin
    Shizuko Kasagi
    • Singer
    Eitarô Shindô
    Eitarô Shindô
    • Takahama
    Masao Shimizu
    Masao Shimizu
    • Oyabun
    Taiji Tonoyama
    Taiji Tonoyama
    • Shop Proprietor
    Yoshiko Kuga
    Yoshiko Kuga
    • Schoolgirl
    Chôko Iida
    Chôko Iida
    • Bâya
    Kô Ubukata
    • Punk
    Akira Tani
    • Yakuza Follower
    Sachio Sakai
    • Guitar Player
    Senkichi Ômura
    • Yakuza Follower
    Tateo Kawasaki
    • Flower Shop Proprietor
    Mayuri Mokushô
    Mayuri Mokushô
    • Daughter at Flower Shop
    • (as Kumiko Mokushô)
    • Director
      • Akira Kurosawa
    • Writers
      • Keinosuke Uekusa
      • Akira Kurosawa
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The performance of Toshirô Mifune as the violent young gangster, Matsunaga (his fourth overall and first in a Kurosawa movie), was so powerful and memorable that, according to director Akira Kurosawa, many people in Japan (and presumably elsewhere) falsely assume that the title, "Drunken Angel," was intended to refer to Matsunaga. But Kurosawa had actually intended the title character to be the alcoholic doctor, Sanada (played by Takashi Shimura), who treats Matsunaga, because, for the filmmaker, he is an "angel" for attempting to save the gangster from his illness and violent lifestyle, despite his own weakness for alcohol.
    • Goofs
      Even though the story takes place during the hot summer, breath can be seen coming from characters in several scenes.
    • Quotes

      Dr. Sanada: The Japanese love to sacrifice themselves for stupid things.

    • Connections
      Featured in Kurosawa and the Censors (2007)
    • Soundtracks
      Janguru bugi
      Music by Ryôichi Hattori

      Lyrics by Akira Kurosawa

      Performed by Shizuko Kasagi

    User reviews55

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    In my top ten favorites of Kurosawa; under-rated (or maybe under-seen)
    Considering this is the first collaboration between one of the 'heavyweight' director/star combos in cinema (tops in the Japanese film world, probably their equal to America's Scorsese/De Niro), this is quite a powerhouse of drama. That's not to say it's a completely dour film- some of Akira Kurosawa's trademark ironic (and subtle) humor is laced into scenes. But more-over, Kurosawa made here an important film for its time. While the team of Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune would become even more internationally known for the thrilling Japanese mystery Stray Dog, and the masterpiece Rashomon, this film seems to get a little under-looked by Kurosawa fans (at least those that haven't quite dug into the catalog of their work). Is it their very best? Not quite, but it ranks high up there for me.

    And it's not just the collaboration of the director and the star- there is also the co-star, Takashi Shimura, who has made his great mark on many of Kurosawa's films (the two I mentioned previous, plus his best role in Ikiru, and Seven Samurai as well). He plays a doctor who can't quite lay off the booze, even as he tries to help the people around him who seem to be contracting all sorts of bad diseases from the contaminated water (most notably tuberculosis). Mifune plays a member of the Yakuza crime gang, but is more of just a low level thug than a real 'somebody'. He's getting signs of TB, and goes to the 'good' doctor, who refuses help to the Yakuza, having outright contempt for them. Through the course of the film, The two actors portray these people as fragile, intense, hostile, compassionate, and with all the great emotional impact that comes in Japanese dramas.

    While one might want to check this out for the context of the Yakuza part of the plot (which was one reason I wanted to check it out- not the Yakuza in today's Japanese cinema of course), the side that Kurosawa shows wonderfully in a film like Red Beard is also brought to light here. There's some action, but it gets thrown into a larger, more emotional context as Mifune's character starts to deteriorate. It becomes very theatrical in a sense, but there is also the realism that Kurosawa had on his sleeve, one that he had to express in post-war Japan (many of these post-war images are better expressed in Stray Dog, but he gives some ample time here too in a subtler, more dangerous context). So this mix comes together, and it turns into one hell of a picture. It may feel a little on the weak side compared to some of Kurosawa's magnum opuses (Seven Samurai, Ran, Yojimbo come to mind). Yet it ranks as an important point in the careers of the actors and director, and it contains enough great moments, enough in terms of the position of the camera and the often shattering music, to make it an under-rated (perhaps minor) classic. Personally, I loved it- especially the last twenty minutes.
    helpful•46
    8
    • Quinoa1984
    • Jul 31, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 27, 1948 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Drunken Angel
    • Filming locations
      • Toho Studios, Tokyo, Japan
    • Production company
      • Toho Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $46,808
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $15,942
      • Jul 28, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $46,808
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

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