One of the main reasons Akira Kurosawa is considered one of the greatest directors of all time is that he rarely made a bad film in a career spanning nearly five decades and thirty films. High and Low, an eminently underrated and little-seen masterpiece among Kurosawa’s vast and varied filmography, justifiably ranks among the director’s finest works.
Kingo Gondo (Toshiro Mifune), a wealthy executive at National Shoes, is under pressure from his peers to form an alliance and overthrow the company CEO, a person they call “The Old Man.” However, Gondo is plotting to take over the company by himself and is willing to risk everything—including his home and the entire fortune—to make it happen. Just as the corporate takeover agreement is finalized, he receives a phone call in which the caller informs him of his son Jun’s kidnapping and demands 30 million yen. As Gondo prepares to pay the ransom, his son bursts into the room, revealing that the kidnapper has mistakenly taken his chauffeur’s son instead of Jun, putting Gondo in a tough spot: he could either pay the ransom and lose all his fortunes or call the kidnapper’s bluff and risk losing the child. Gondo is initially adamant about not paying the ransom, but his wife and chauffeur beg and persuade him to save the boy. Following the payment of the ransom and the boy’s release, the police launch a massive search operation for the abductor, led by Inspector Tokura (Tatsuya Nakadai).
The film’s first part is set entirely in Gondo’s opulent mansion, perched atop a hill (High), overlooking the slumbering neighborhoods below. Kurusawa’s staging of dialogue-heavy scenes in the first act is a masterclass in mise-en-scene, whether it’s the opening sequence with Gondo and the executives or the one with Gondo and the police officers. His exceptional blocking skills ensure the frame is always busy by filling it with multiple characters (sometimes eight characters in a single frame) and eliminating the negative spaces. These characters are moving around constantly while speaking, and the camera never loses sight of them in any frame because Kurosawa ensures we are privy to each character’s actions, emotions, and whereabouts. Even with so many characters in the frame, no two characters overlap at any point, and they can be distinguished pretty clearly. This way, there is always something going on and never a dull moment, completely immersing us in the action unfolding on the screen.
The film’s escalating suspense is unparalleled, making it one of the finest and most detailed police procedurals in cinematic history. The authorities face a difficult task in locating the kidnapper, about whom they know little. There is an extended sequence in which the police officers are having a meeting in a room where every cop who was assigned the responsibility of investigating a lead is giving an update on the progress to the senior officers (one of whom is played by Takashi Shimura) on what they have uncovered. From investigating stolen cars to narrowing down the phonebooths where the kidnapper might have called to demand ransom to discovering small details in the background during the phone conversation between Gondo and the kidnapper, Kurosawa shows every aspect of the investigation in utmost detail as the police leave no stone unturned, dig deep, and examine every minute lead thoroughly in the hopes of finding the criminal.
When the abductor’s pursuit begins, the film transfers from high (from Gondo’s apartment uphill) to low (on the streets). Kurosawa reveals the culprit immediately with a brilliant shot of two police officers walking on the streets, and the camera pans further and shows a polluted river. A guy’s reflection appears in the river, and the camera pans across it until finally revealing the man himself. It is a visually stunning character introduction, alluding to his origins in the grime of the earth. The camera then follows him through a tracking shot where we learn that he lives in a shantytown; his humble abode is a makeshift shack, and he has a view of Gondo’s mansion up on the hill from his window. Kurosawa explores the problems of classism in Japan, particularly after WWII, through the motivations of the perpetrator committing the crime. The noteworthy aspect here is how Kurosawa sensitively deals with the villain’s character because, initially, he is painted as a maniac, dangerous, and capable of doing anything. However, after his introduction, we see him living in squalor and understand the motivations for his actions. As a result, we cannot help but feel a bit empathetic towards him.
The film also does a great job of thoroughly fleshing out Toshiro Mifune’s character, Gondo. He is the guy who, first and foremost, is a businessman and has worked tirelessly to rise through the ranks of society. Kurosawa poses an intriguing dilemma for him to resolve: the abducted kid turns out to be the chauffeur’s child rather than his own, and he must choose between protecting the boy and protecting his money. The plot point of the criminal inadvertently kidnapping the chauffeur’s child allows Kurosawa to delve deep into Gondo’s character while also exploring themes of corporate greed, where a man solely cares about his profits even at the expense of other people’s suffering and losses. Initially, Gondo is reluctant to help his driver protect his financial interests. However, after much contemplation and pressure from his wife, he is forced to think from his heart instead of his mind, enabling him to make a wise decision, through which Kurosawa might be telling us that capitalism and corporate greed are somewhat detrimental and degrade us as human beings.
High and Low is available on The Criterion Collection
High and Low movie links: IMDB, Letterboxd
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