By the time of 'Red Beard' in 1965, both Toshiro Mifune and Akira Kurosawa had huge reputations in Japan. Mifune was the largest star in the country, able to appear in cameos and still get the biggest image on the poster, such as in 'Chushingura'. Kurosawa had some big hits as a director, an international reputation, but was seen as a tyrant on the set by the Japanese public. When the pair split, their careers went in opposite directions.
Kurosawa had another script ready quickly, 'Runaway Train'. However, it was a difficult and expensive production, so Toho and all other Japanese studios passed on it. Twenty years later, it would be made without Kurosawa's input in Canada, starring Jon Voight. Not to worry; Akira was signed up to do the Japanese sections of 'Tora, Tora, Tora'.
Darryl Zanuck had been the best of the golden age of Hollywood's movie moguls, turning the miniscule Twentieth Century Fox into a major studio. He did retire in 1954, leaving his wife to shack up with various European starlets while flying around the world, shooting aerials. When he tired of this, he started his dream project, 'The Longest Day'. only to find that 20th Century was broke, bled dry by 'Cleopatra'. Zanuck charged back in, seizing control of the studio to save his picture in 1962.
Now, six years later, Zanuck wanted to repeat his success by focusing on Pearl Harbor, using the multi-national format that worked so well last time. He promised Kurosawa the chance to co-direct the movie with John Ford, Akira's hero. However, Ford was blind in one eye, a mostly bed-ridden alcoholic, not physically capable any more. So Zanuck replaced him, wisely, with Richard Fleischer, who had worked extensively with large scale water based movie productions such as '20,000 Leagues under the Sea' and 'The Vikings', both very good.
Akira felt slighted, pouting, starting work at a snail's pace, getting nothing done day after day. Zanuck had no trouble firing him, having previous wrangled difficult directors like John Ford and Samuel Fuller. He was replaced with Kinji Fukasaku, who did everything from 'The Green Slime' to 'Battle Royale', along with many excellent yakuza films. Akira was through with studios; it was time to start producing himself.
Toshiro Mifune was ready to stand on his own two feet. Besides starting his own production company, he had even directed one picture in 1963. It was time to step out onto the international stage. His first film was a giant, directed by a top Hollywood talent, John Frankenheimer, straight off four masterpieces; 'The Manchurian Candidate', 'Seven Days in May', 'The Train' and 'Seconds'. Mifune was billed fourth in 'Grand Prix', an excellent film about Formula One racing. Steve McQueen may have been cooler in 'Le Mans', but the editing, camerawork (in Cinerama), and stunt work was far superior. Toshiro was treated with great respect both I the script and on the set.
Toshiro made some of his best samurai pictures during this period. 'The Sword of Doom', technically a starring vehicle for brooding Tatsuya Nakadai, has perhaps the best action sequence in Mifune's career, in the snow he chops down forty or so assassins. 'Samurai Rebellion' is just as good, once again facing off against Tatsuya, as is 'Samurai Assassin', both from Mifune Productions. There were a string of films about the Second World War, Toshiro always playing the top military brass. The only picture from this period that he was not in was 'Tora, Tora, Tora'; did he deliberately avoid it to avoid Kurosawa?
'Hell in the Pacific' is a great motion picture, with only two actors, Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune, both the height of their star power. John Boorman crafted something between an action and an art film. Having only two characters on a deserted island for 103 minutes was a difficult task, but the end product is a wonderful film, two enemies constantly one-upping each other. Finally, they realize that their survival depends on working together, only to find that when they return to civilization, they become enemies again.
Mifune tried two large samurai productions at the time, with mixed results. 'Samurai Banners' is pure spectacle, huge armies on the march, banners flying, a cast of thousands. Hiroshi Inagaki directed, previously working with Mifune in the Samurai Trilogy as well as popular 'Rickshaw Man'. It is big, it is spectacular, but it is not very good. The action is non-stop but wooden, Mifune eats scenery. Even the shocking violence at the end, a Kurosawa trade mark, comes off as ridiculous.
"Red Lion' is much better. For one thing, it shows Toshiro in comedy mode for most of its running time, rarely seen in the West. Mifune plays a goof ball who is given a position of power, not realizing that he is only softening up the locals for a brutal takeover. He goes to his hometown, meeting his old mother, rescuing his girlfriend from prostitution. His energy is so infectious that everyone goes temporarily crazy. Right up until the tragic energy, it is wonderful to see Mifune display such excellent comedic skills.
Unfortunately, the Japanese film industry was in meltdown, television drastically reducing audiences. While total crap such as 'Shogun's Joy of Torture' or 'Inferno of Torture' swamped the market, it was getting hard for even big stars to survive. Mifune made a two picture deal with the other huge male actor, Shintaro Katsu, each to star in one while supporting in the other. The result were Toshiro's last two performances as Yojimbo. Both are excellent.
It helps to know that in Japanese culture neither star of that stature would be allowed to come out on top. Both, at the end, would be able to retain their dignity, although to a Western audience, this may seem frustrating, a cheat. Just to see 'Zatoichi meets Yojimbo' is enough, even if they never get into the much-promised duel. In 'Incident at Blood Pass', Katsu plays a disgraced physician. It is an excellent thriller, setting up great tension among a group of people, most not whom they seem to be, stranded in the snow. Of all the Mifune productions, that may be the most satisfying entertainment.
Europe called again, this time in 'Red Sun', a great price of popcorn entertainment. While it looks like Mifune in a Spaghetti Western, the director was actually Terence Young, director of there of the first four Bond movies. Young had a great pedigree but a terrible gambling addiction, his career slowly going down the drain as he took whatever job was offered for fast cash. Fortunately, he delivers an excellent Western, good enough to be copied later by Jackie Chan in 'Shanghai Noon'.
It is total fun to watch Charles Bronson deliver so many lines, unable for once to play the strong silent type against the brooding Mifune. Watching him get tossed around, his ass handed to him by Toshiro, is even better. Despite a somewhat preposterous premise, this movie really works. Unfortunately, due to complicated international finances, it is hard to find in America. It is one of the best selling Westerns of all time in Europe. By 1971 Mifune was doing television, something he would do on a regular basis for the rest of the decade.
Kurosawa, meanwhile, had created a production company with three other prominent directors. He was given the opportunity to deliver the first film to the market. Instead of anything remotely commercial, he chose something that I consider unwatchable. Mentally deficient teenagers in a garbage dump for two hours is an excruciating experience. Some people love this film; after one viewing, I avoid it at all costs.
It flopped so badly that the company crashed, financially ruining the other investors. Akira shut himself off from the public for eighteen months, then slit his wrists thirty times. It took years for him to recover, not only physically but emotionally. He received an offer to work from an unlikely source; the Soviet Union. Desperate, working in often freezing conditions, he delivered another masterpiece, 'Dersu Uzala'. Hard to find in America due to distribution, it is both an adventure story and a deeply emotional tale of the relationship between a Russian officer and a primitive tracker.
The film was an immediate success, winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film. But the Japanese industry kept their distance. Kurosawa kept coming up with ideas, but they would offer only so much money. It was five long years of development hell, Akira killing time by doing detailed watercolor storyboards. His saviors came from another unexpected place, the directors of the New Hollywood.
Specifically, John Milius, Francis Coppola, Steven Spielberg, and especially George Lucas had gone to film school, being exposed to Kurosawa's genius during their formative years. Lucas was forthcoming in the debt 'Star Wars' owed to 'The Hidden Fortress.' It was time to pay it back, so money was found to allow Kurosawa to finish his rather grand epic samurai film. 'Kagemusha' signified that Akira was back, better than even, ready to conquer new ground.
'Kagemusha' was not without controversy. Shintaro Katsu was originally set to star, replacing Mifune as Akira's go-to guy, but it was short lived. Kurosawa kicked him out as too undisciplined, replacing him with Tatsuya Nakadai, a superior actor. There was speculation about Mifune's absence; to me, the part seems to be written for Nakadai, as well as the lead in 'Ran'. These films needed a haunted presence, exactly what Tatsuya excelled at. He had to act under layers of makeup, making him nearly unrecognizable. I doubt whether Mifune of Katsu would have consented.
Kurosawa created a film on the scope of David Lean. One can't help but be reminded of Mifune's 'Samurai Banners'; great movement of troops, banners flying, horses charging. 'Kagemusha', while formal, is a much better movie. Even though it is all tease, showing the formations for battle or the aftermath with all too little of the actual battle, it is the work of a master now back firmly in control.
Mifune, meanwhile, saw his position slowly eroding. He was older now, not as physical. The foreign roles, whether in 'Paper Tiger, 'The New Spartans', '1941' or 'Winter Kills', were barely worthy of his talent. Even when media magnate Haruki Kadokawa bought Toei, vowing to return quality samurai films to the cinemas of Japan, it was Sonny Chiba and his Japanese Action Crew that handled the sword play. Toshiro Mifune had to be included, but it was supporting roles now.
Ironically, Toshiro's last claim to international fame came from American television; 'Shogun'. He gets second billing. The mini-series was an international sensation. Mifune was literally the only person who could have played the part. He's not on screen that much, but he dominates every moment. He was the Shogun in the world's eyes.
Unfortunately, it was the end of being a first string star for Toshiro Mifune. He kept making movies outside of Japan, 'The Bushido Blade', 'Inchon', 'The Challenge'. They were all terrible. Decades of hard drinking, three packs of cigarettes a day were catching up to him. He started having trouble remembering lines. His physicality was in the past.
Kurosawa had a third act that Mifune didn't. He made perhaps his greatest film, 'Ran', in 1985. This time the funding came from Europe, a ton of it. 'Ran' is spectacle on the greatest scale. I saw it in the theater when it first came out. On the wide screen, it was overwhelming, both visually and emotionally. Akira delivers all the violence implicit in 'Kagemusha'. Both films were about old age, both pessimistic. Akira didn't need to be any more in his personal life. He was on top.
He was embraced finally by Japanese culture, recognized as the master that he had always been. There were whiskey commercials, a television series, retrospective documentaries of his work. He managed three additional films, all very Japanese, all very private. When Akira died, he was a national hero.
Toshiro died first. There was even a videotaped reunion between the two. Neither had much to say, grunting at each other. Mifune remains the most renown Japanese actor, Kurosawa the most renown Japanese director. Together or apart, they created great art.
Japanese cinema moved away from the samurai genre, except for historical perspective. They moved to ninjas instead, less formal, no real basis in history. It enabled them to perform wire Fu, trampoline Fu, add sword & sorcery elements. They could compete with Hong Kong action cinema. Eventually, with the rise of Sammo Hung, Jackie Chan, and John Woo, Hong Kong conquered the world, even penetrating Hollywood in a way that Japanese film never did. But they never matched the artistry of Japanese cinema at its best, which usually meant either Kurosawa, Mifune, or, if you were lucky, both a the same time.
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