Yoidore tenshi (1948)

A drunken doctor with a hot temper and a violence-prone gangster with tuberculosis form a quicksilver bond.

Director:

Akira Kurosawa

Writers:

Keinosuke Uekusa, Akira Kurosawa

Stars:

Takashi Shimura, Toshirô Mifune, Reizaburô Yamamoto

4 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Takashi Shimura	...	Sanada
Toshirô Mifune	...	Matsunaga
Reizaburô Yamamoto	...	Okada
Michiyo Kogure	...	Nanae
Chieko Nakakita	...	Miyo
Noriko Sengoku	...	Gin
Shizuko Kasagi	...	Singer
Eitarô Shindô	...	Takahama
Masao Shimizu	...	Oyabun
Taiji Tonoyama	...	Shop Proprietor
Yoshiko Kuga	...	Schoolgirl
Chôko Iida	...	Bâya
Ko Ubukata	...	Punk
Akira Tani	...	Yakuza Follower
Sachio Sakai	...	Guitar Player

Storyline

After a battle with rival criminals, a small-time gangster is treated by an alcoholic doctor in post-war Japan. The doctor diagnoses the young gangster's tuberculosis, and convinces him to begin treatment for it. The two enjoy an uneasy friendship until the gangster's former boss is released from prison and seeks to take over his gang once again. The ailing young man loses his status as gang boss and becomes ostracised, and eventually confronts his former boss in a battle to the death.

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Plot Keywords:

office | scum | poor | thug | thuggery | 

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Taglines:

From Akira Kurosawa, creator of "Rashomon" an allegory of the postwar man.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Did You Know?

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.

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Goofs

Even though the story takes place during the hot summer, breath can be seen coming from characters in several scenes.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Punk: The mosquitoes are killin' me.

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Connections

Featured in Kurosawa and the Censors (2007)

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Soundtracks

Kosame no uta
(uncredited)
Music by Ryôichi Hattori
Lyrics by Hachirô Satô

User Reviews

Yoidore tenshi: Best Toho film I've seen thus far

Drunken Angel returns Toho to their bleak, dark roots and on this occasion it certainly worked no end.

It tells the story of the tremulous relationship between an alcoholic doctor and his violent mafia member patient. The doctor see's his younger self in the Yakuza and set's about going the extra mile to help him despite being fought every stage along the way.

After a series of mediocre Toho films I was already losing faith in the Kurosawa hype, therefore this came as a really pleasant surprise to me.

Powerful, hard hitting and wonderfully constructed Drunken Angel is by far the best Toho movie I've seen thus far.

The Good:

Well written

Some poignant moments

The Bad:

Things I Learnt From This Movie:

Bullets come out of a persons body in the same condition they went in

I'd have let them get typhus......and that's reason no.57579853789 why I should never have kids

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

27 April 1948 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Drunken Angel

Filming Locations:

Toho Studios, Tokyo, Japan

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$15,942, 28 July 2002

Gross USA:

$46,808

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$46,808

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min 150 min (director's cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1