1957·Crime·1h 54m
7.1
★
A love triangle develops between a benevolent student, his innocent girlfriend, and a cruel petty criminal, all as a point of diagnosis of a social disease that had Japan slowly succumbing to lawlessness during the post-War era.
Directed by Masaki Kobayashi
yakuza
petty criminal
Where to Watch
Cast
Ineko Arima
Shizuko
Fumio Watanabe
Nishida
Tatsuya Nakadai
Joe
Tomo'o Nagai
Okada
Keiko Awaji
Yasuko, Okada's wife
Asao Sano
Sakazaki
Seiji Miyaguchi
Kin
Isuzu Yamada
Mikiko, landlady
Eijirō Tōno
Kurihara
Toyo Takahashi
Kurihara's wife
Nakajirō Tomita
Yamaguchi
Kin Sugai
Mother
Crew
Masaki Kobayashi
Director
Zenzō Matsuyama
Writer
Chūji Kinoshita
Original Music Composer
Popular Reviews
17 reviews
Nicholas Andreola
6.0★ · 03/31/26
74
You can definitely feel that this is a beginner film for Kobayashi. We see a lot of tough things here that he eventually developed into more polished ideals, but this film isn't anything super special. I like the themes that we can see used in The Human Condition Trilogy, I think this leading into that is a very strong upwards move, but this is sadly the lower end of that spectrum. Nakadai did well here in what was apparently his first major role (congrats big bro!) Overall, nothing crazy, but decent for now.
You can definitely feel that this is a beginner film for Kobayashi. We see a lot of tough things here that he eventually developed into more polished ideals, but this film isn't anything super special. I like the themes that we can see used in The Human Condition Trilogy, I think this leading into that is a very strong upwards move, but this is sadly the lower end of that spectrum. Nakadai did well here in what was apparently his first major role (congrats big bro!) Overall, nothing crazy, but decent for now.
74
You can definitely feel that this is a beginner film for Kobayashi. We see a lot of tough things here that he eventually developed into more polished ideals, but this film isn't anything super special. I like the themes that we can see used in The Human Condition Trilogy, I think this leading into that is a very strong upwards move, but this is sadly the lower end of that spectrum. Nakadai did well here in what was apparently his first major role (congrats big bro!) Overall, nothing crazy, but decent for now.
You can definitely feel that this is a beginner film for Kobayashi. We see a lot of tough things here that he eventually developed into more polished ideals, but this film isn't anything super special. I like the themes that we can see used in The Human Condition Trilogy, I think this leading into that is a very strong upwards move, but this is sadly the lower end of that spectrum. Nakadai did well here in what was apparently his first major role (congrats big bro!) Overall, nothing crazy, but decent for now.
Eclectic Sorcerer
7.0★ · 11/06/25
A bit meandering tbh
A bit meandering tbh
Eclectic Sorcerer
7.0★ · 11/06/25
A bit meandering tbh
A bit meandering tbh
RustyMarui
6.0★ · 12/27/21
Kobayashi socially engaged; a bit irritating to tell the story of the wronged from the perspective of her stakeholders. Perhaps it's more wanting than it is. Finale, atmosphere.
NS 6/9
NS 6/9
Kobayashi socially engaged; a bit irritating to tell the story of the wronged from the perspective of her stakeholders. Perhaps it's more wanting than it is. Finale, atmosphere.
NS 6/9
NS 6/9
Dog Man
6.0★ · 01/17/21
Film critic Imogen Sara Smith, in her intro to the Criterion Channel’s Japanese Noir collection, said Tatsuya Nakadai is “dangerously sexy” as the antagonist in Black River. And you know what? She’s right! Despite how despicable and cruel he is, it’s really his show here. He brings such cool chaotic energy to every scene he’s in and the scenes without him lack any of that exciting tension.
Film critic Imogen Sara Smith, in her intro to the Criterion Channel’s Japanese Noir collection, said Tatsuya Nakadai is “dangerously sexy” as the antagonist in Black River. And you know what? She’s right! Despite how despicable and cruel he is, it’s really his show here. He brings such cool chaotic energy to every scene he’s in and the scenes without him lack any of that exciting tension.