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IMDbPro

The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer

Original title: Ningen no jôken
  • 19611961
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 3h 10m
IMDb RATING
8.8/10
6.6K
YOUR RATING
The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961)
DramaHistoryWar
His ideals challenged by life as a conscript in war-time Japan's military, a pacifist faces ever greater tests in his fight for survival.His ideals challenged by life as a conscript in war-time Japan's military, a pacifist faces ever greater tests in his fight for survival.His ideals challenged by life as a conscript in war-time Japan's military, a pacifist faces ever greater tests in his fight for survival.
IMDb RATING
8.8/10
6.6K
YOUR RATING
    • Masaki Kobayashi
  • Writers
    • Zenzô Matsuyama(screenplay)
    • Kôichi Inagaki(screenplay)
    • Masaki Kobayashi(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Tatsuya Nakadai
    • Michiyo Aratama
    • Tamao Nakamura
    • Masaki Kobayashi
  • Writers
    • Zenzô Matsuyama(screenplay)
    • Kôichi Inagaki(screenplay)
    • Masaki Kobayashi(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Tatsuya Nakadai
    • Michiyo Aratama
    • Tamao Nakamura
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 32User reviews
    • 34Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Photos9

    Tatsuya Nakadai and Hideko Takamine in The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961)
    Tatsuya Nakadai in The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961)
    The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959)
    The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959)
    The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961)
    Michiyo Aratama, Masaki Kobayashi, and Tatsuya Nakadai in The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961)
    Michiyo Aratama, Masaki Kobayashi, and Tatsuya Nakadai in The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961)
    The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (1961)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tatsuya Nakadai
    Tatsuya Nakadai
    • Kaji
    Michiyo Aratama
    Michiyo Aratama
    • Michiko
    Tamao Nakamura
    • Hinannmin no Shôjo
    Yûsuke Kawazu
    Yûsuke Kawazu
    • Terada Nitôhei
    Chishû Ryû
    Chishû Ryû
    • Hinanmin no Chôrô
    Taketoshi Naitô
    Taketoshi Naitô
    • Tange Ittôhei
    Kyôko Kishida
    Kyôko Kishida
    • Ryûko
    Reiko Hitomi
    • Umeko
    Keijirô Morozumi
    • Hironaka Gôchô
    Kôji Kiyomura
    • Hikita Ittôhei
    Nobuo Kaneko
    Nobuo Kaneko
    • Kirihara Gôchô
    Fujio Suga
    Fujio Suga
    • Nagata Taii
    Tatsuya Ishiguro
    Tatsuya Ishiguro
    • Dôkutsu Taichô
    Kazuo Kitamura
    • Kitagô Sôchô
    Toshio Takahara
    Toshio Takahara
    • Chôsen e Iku Heichô
    Akira Yamanouchi
    Akira Yamanouchi
    • Kira Jôtôhei
    Hiroshi Nihon'yanagi
    Hiroshi Nihon'yanagi
    • Noge Shôsa
    Kôichi Hayashi
    • Minagawa Tsûyaku
      • Masaki Kobayashi
    • Writers
      • Zenzô Matsuyama(screenplay)
      • Kôichi Inagaki(screenplay)
      • Masaki Kobayashi(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Is the first Japanese movie in stereo.
    • Quotes

      Kaji: The Red Army should be different from the Japanese or the Nazis. Fundamentally different even from the American army. Minor incidents from a historical standpoint can be of vital importance to the individual. For those who've seen such failings, the scars never heal. The blood of hatred will continue to ooze from the wounds, forming a breeding ground for distrust that can't be wiped out. A trivial event perhaps, but also a stain on humanity. How can you defend such a thing?

    • Connections
      Follows The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959)

    User reviews32

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    The End of Kaji's Journey
    The Japanese troops are defeated by the Soviets and Kaji (Tatsuya Nakadai) heads with three survivors to South Manchurian expecting to meet his wife. Along their crossing through the enemy line in the Manchurian land, other Japanese survivors join Kaji's group, but they need to fight against the Chinese militias and the Soviets.

    When they reach a Japanese village with women and one old man, a militia arrives in the place and Kaji and his men surrender to the Soviet to spare the women. The POWs are sent to a labor work camp and Kaji sees no difference between the treatment of the Japanese fascists and the Soviet communists, in which principles Kaji believed. He decides to escape from the camp to meet his beloved Michiko again.

    "The Human Condition – Parts V & VI" is the last sequel of the heartbreaking anti-war masterpiece by Masaki Kobayashi. The story is impressively realistic and magnificently shot with top-notch camera work, giving the sensation of a documentary. I have seen many powerful movies about war, such as "Der Untergang", "Taegukgi hwinalrimyeo", "La Battaglia di Algeri", "Paths of Glory" and "Apocalypse Now" among others. But "The Human Condition" is certainly the most scathing antiwar movie that I have seen and I did not feel the 574 minutes running time in a black-and-white movie spoken in Japanese, Mandarin and Russian with English subtitles.

    It is impressive to see the treatment spent by the fascist Japanese soldiers for the rookies and how Kaji grows-up and learns how his idealistic concept of communism is shattered when he becomes a POW and swaps his initial position of supervisor to the one of prisoner. The hopeless conclusion fits perfectly to this masterpiece and shows that in times of war, people are far from the condition for being human to survive. My vote is ten.

    Title (Brazil): Not Available
    helpful•18
    8
    • claudio_carvalho
    • Feb 14, 2013

    Details

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    • Release date
      • August 5, 1970 (United States)
      • Japan
      • Japanese
      • Mandarin
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park, Hokkaido, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Toho Company
      • Bungei Production Ninjin Club
      • Shochiku
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 3 hours 10 minutes
      • Black and White

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