Branded to Kill (1967)

After a badly done assignment, a hitman finds himself in conflict with his organisation, and one mysterious and dangerous fellow-hitman in particular.

Director:

Seijun Suzuki

Writers:

Hachiro Guryu (screenplay), Hachiro Guryu

Stars:

Jô Shishido, Mariko Ogawa, Annu Mari

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jô Shishido	...	Gorô Hanada (as Joe Shishido)
Mariko Ogawa	...	Mami Hanada
Annu Mari	...	Misako Nakajô (as Anne Mari)
Kôji Nanbara	...	No. 1
Isao Tamagawa	...	Michihiko Yabuhara
Hiroshi Minami	...	Gihei Kasuga
Hiroshi Chô
Atsushi Yamatoya
Takashi Nomura
Tokuhei Miyahara
Hiroshi Midorikawa
Akira Hisamatsu	...	(as Kôsuke Hisamatsu)
Iwae Arai
Yû Izumi
Kyôji Mizuki

Storyline

The number-three-ranked hit-man, with a fetish for sniffing boiling rice, fumbles his latest job, which puts him into conflict with a mysterious woman whose death wish inspires her to surround herself with dead butterflies and dead birds. Worse danger comes from his own treacherous wife and finally with the number-one-ranked hit-man, known only as a phantom to those who fear his unseen presence.

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Plot Keywords:

slim attractive woman | slender legs | thin legs | surrealism | yakuza | 

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Annu Mari, what attracted her to the role of Misako was her morbid attitude because she was going through suicidal depression at the time of filming.

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Quotes

Mami Hanada: [said to her husband, Goro] We're beasts! Beasts! Beast needs beast. That's the best way. You and I are beasts.

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Connections

Referenced in Long-Distance Runners: A Cross-Cultural Love Story (2014)

User Reviews

A work of art by master director Seijun Suzuki

Branded to Kill is by far Suzuki's best film. It is my personal favorite crime film. Joe Shishido in his role as Hanada Goro, with his dark black sunglasses and Mauser M712 is one of the coolest characters ever created. The movie has everything, violence, shootouts, car chases, sex, and much much more. The film would likely have been shot in color, however Seijun Suzuki was prohibited from shooting in color due his wild use of colors in past films. The film is still a work of art, and looks beautiful in black and white. The best way I can describe this film is maybe a cross between Alfred Hitchcock and Sergio Leone. An excellent crime thriller not to be missed.

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese English

Release Date:

15 June 1967 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Branded to Kill

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nikkatsu

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1