The Yakuza (1974)

American private-eye Harry Kilmer returns to Japan to rescue a friend's kidnapped daughter from the clutches of the Yakuza.

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writers:

Paul Schrader (screenplay), Robert Towne (screenplay)

Stars:

Robert Mitchum, Ken Takakura, Brian Keith

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Mitchum	...	Harry Kilmer
Ken Takakura	...	Tanaka Ken
Brian Keith	...	George Tanner
Herb Edelman	...	Wheat
Richard Jordan	...	Dusty
Keiko Kishi	...	Eiko (as Kishi Keiko)
Eiji Okada	...	Tono (as Okada Eiji)
James Shigeta	...	Goro
Kyôsuke Machida	...	Kato
Christina Kokubo	...	Hanako
Eiji Gô	...	Spider (as Go Eiji)
Lee Chirillo	...	Louise
M. Hisaka	...	Boyfriend
William Ross	...	Tanner's Guard
Akiyama	...	Tono's Guard

Storyline

Harry Kilmer returns to Japan after several years in order to rescue his friend George's kidnapped daughter - and ends up on the wrong side of the Yakuza, the notorious Japanese mafia...

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Plot Keywords:

japan | yakuza | love | mafia | business | 

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Taglines:

A man never forgets. A man pays his debts.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

21 December 1974 (Japan)

Also Known As:

The Yakuza

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

On the U.S. prints, the credits list the Japanese names in the Japanese format with the surname first followed by the given name.

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Goofs

The boom mic is clearly visible in one scene when Oliver Wheat grabs his cat while telling the story of Eiko to Dusty, the mic appears behind the table and is retracted as Wheat advances.

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Quotes

Goro: Ken is a tormented man. It is Eiko, of course, but it is also Japan. Ken is a relic, a leftover of another age, of another country.

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Connections

Referenced in ...Promises to Keep (1974)

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Soundtracks

Only the Wind
Japanese Lyrics Yû Aku (as Aku Yu)
Composed by Dave Grusin

User Reviews

widely unrecognized gem

I have to agree with the preponderance of viewers here who rate this as a neglected classic of the 70's. All aspects of the film - performances, script, and direction - raise this to the level of greatness. This is certainly among Mitchum's greatest performances - his subdued, world-weary toughness undergirds the movie. The story as has been noted, is a rich and multilayered one with a sadness that aspires to and quite nearly reaches the level of tragedy. It also must be noted that this is one of the most effective portrayals of Japanese culture on celluloid. The movie does not shrink from violence; the various scenes of assassination and slaughter could have been done by Peckinpah. The movie deserves a restoration and should be brought to tv in letterbox mode. (Are you listening, American Movie Classics?)