This is the first foreign language film that I've reviewed, and it's more to inspect my copy, which was purchased during my vacation to Chicago two weeks ago, but not opened until a couple of days ago, when I found the first disc loose in the DVD case with some visable scratches on the playing surface.
High and Low [Tengoku to jigoku] (Criterion #24). 1963 Toho Company, Ltd. & Janus Films.
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Kyoko Kagawa
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Available at Amazon.
Kurosawa's High and Low features an executive named Kingo Gondo (Mifune) mortgaging everything he has to stage a leveraged buyout of National Shoes, gaining control of the firm, and keeping it out of the hands of its other executives. Gondo disagrees with his fellow executives over the direction of the company, and he intends to placate both sides by manufacturing high quality modern shoes. Then, while the drama in the boardroom plays out, he learns that his son has apparently been kidnapped. Gondo is prepared to make the ransom payment until the truth comes out, and the kidnappers have instead snatched the son of Gondo's chauffeur.
Gondo needs to make a decision: complete the buyout of National Shoes, or pay to get his chauffeur's son returned unharmed, which would leave him vulnerable to being voted out of his directorship. We also learn that the person behind the kidnapping is a man who is jealous of Gondo and his wealth.
Recommended movie, and best of all, my DVD wasn't damaged and played without a problem the whole way through. Looks like I won't have to replace it like I was fearing...
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