The Yakuza (1974) – 7.5/10 – Crime Thriller into the Yakuza and Japanese ways
THE YAKUZA is an action crime thriller that depicts a fictional fight against two aggressive Yakuza groups. The filmmakers did a decent job clinging to the traditional Yakuza ways, the Japanese culture, and rituals. They even shot it in Kyoto, Japan, and designed a plot that thoughtfully incorporates Japan’s post-WWII history. The film considers themes such as honor, loyalty, friendship, love, duty, obligation, and atonement. While somber, THE YAKUZA shows the harsh realities of Japanese organized crime while keeping you entertained. We see a fascinating contrast between American and Japanese ways. Martin Scorsese was in the talks to direct this, but they passed on him for Sydney Pollack. Pollack’s work wasn’t bad, however, Scorsese would’ve suited the narrative better.
Private detective Harry Kilmer (Robert Mitchum) is hired by his friend George Tanner (Brian Keith) to retrieve his kidnapped daughter from the Yakuza after a business deal goes bad. Kilmer, an American soldier in postwar Japan, had connections. During his post in Japan, Kilmer fell in love with a Japanese girl, Eiko Tanaka (Keiko Kishi). Eiko’s brother, a Japanese soldier named Ken Tanaka (Ken Takakura), returned to Japan a few years later. Ken was irate that his sister Eiko Tanaka had fallen for a foreign occupying soldier, but also thankful to Kilmer for saving her life. In his anger, Ken joined the Yakuza. To appease Ken, Eiko broke off her relationship with Kilmer. As a last act before leaving Japan for good, Kilmer borrowed money from Tanner and gifted Eiko a bar. Ken owes Kilmer a debt of gratitude for his love for Eiko, and Kilmer calls in that favor from Ken. Ken, a former Yakuza member, and Kilmer team up to fight them. Kilmer’s young friend, Dusty (Richard Jordan), also tags along to help.
It’s a thrilling movie, but far from perfect. The film’s pacing lags and needs sharper editing. The fighting scenes are well-choreographed and realistic, but they miss the oomph from a style aspect. I like the background score and music, which is fitting. The setting and atmosphere are genuine, making the cinematography stand out. Mitchum, despite his age, was a proper casting for Kilmer. He has a no-holds-barred personality and aura that feels fitting for the role. Lee Marvin was going to play Kilmer before he dropped. Warner Brothers also considered Charles Bronson, William Holden, and Robert Redford before choosing Mitchum (interesting choices and probably fitting, I must say). Ken Takakura was also right for his role, which called for stoicism and composure under fire. The cast delivered a respectable performance, but a few minor actors overacted. The script and dialogue were solid. If only someone else directed it.
Would I recommend this? I don’t think it’s a must-watch. It’s a decent film, but with so many other amazing ones out there, this can wait. Unfortunately, there aren’t many films about the Yakuza and the Japanese culture. If that intrigues you, don’t miss this. The only other ones I’ve seen are ‘BATTLES WITHOUT HONOR AND HUMANITY’, BLACK RAIN, and KILL BILL. Decent Yakuza films are rare. My rating is 7.5/10.
*Any trivia facts were obtained from IMDB’s trivia page and certain plot/name information from Wiki
