The Quiet Duel

Absolutely horrifically grim themes of syphilis and sadness, The Quiet Duel is certainly not a fun watch. It can sinks a bit into misery porn at times, and some of its social/sexual commentary is messy

Absolutely horrifically grim themes of syphilis and sadness, The Quiet Duel is certainly not a fun watch. It can sinks a bit into misery porn at times, and some of its social/sexual commentary is messy

Akira Kurosawa ranked
7,4/10

Akira Kurosawa ranked
7,4/10

Good acting does the heavy lifting with a boring and straightforward plot

Good acting does the heavy lifting with a boring and straightforward plot

The Quiet Duel was a huge surprise for me. I know that many consider this to be one of Kurosawa's worst films, but when you're filmography is as legendary as his that doesn't mean much. I went in with nothing, but those low expectations and I loved this film. Yes, it's slow and covers a topic that many people aren't going to find interesting, but I never thought it was boring for a second. It feels like it could be a predecessor to one of my favorite Kurosawa films, Red Beard.

Toshiro Mifune has had many more stoic roles than I expected after watching him in Seven Samurai as the crazy Kikuchiyo. That's probably his most iconic role, but it's the parts like this that really show you his range and the deeper emotions he's willing to tap into. He does a fantastic job of conveying dread and a longing for something he may never have. It's completely gut wrenching.

This film is extremely simple, but it has some of the most gorgeous shots I've seen from Kurosawa since I started watching his older films. The beginning and end of the film in particular have excellently framed shots during the critical moments. I appreciate the Kurosawa gives us time to sit and contemplate with our thoughts like we're in a meeting with Mifune and Shimura. He treats the difficult subject matter with respect and refuses to gloss over it.

Something that I've not been able to appreciate about a Kurosawa film for a while is the music. Quiet Duel has a fantastic score that does a good job accompanying the more emotionally complex scenes. There are some sharp cuts as well that felt like a punch to the stomach. Very well done.

I did not expect this to be a recommendation for me, but it absolutely is. It also works as a good entry point into Kurosawa films if you're okay with a slower, but emotionally complex story.

Lists: ***2024 Ranked & Kurosawa Ranked***

Last Review: ***Kung Fu Panda 4***

The Quiet Duel was a huge surprise for me. I know that many consider this to be one of Kurosawa's worst films, but when you're filmography is as legendary as his that doesn't mean much. I went in with nothing, but those low expectations and I loved this film. Yes, it's slow and covers a topic that many people aren't going to find interesting, but I never thought it was boring for a second. It feels like it could be a predecessor to one of my favorite Kurosawa films, Red Beard.

Toshiro Mifune has had many more stoic roles than I expected after watching him in Seven Samurai as the crazy Kikuchiyo. That's probably his most iconic role, but it's the parts like this that really show you his range and the deeper emotions he's willing to tap into. He does a fantastic job of conveying dread and a longing for something he may never have. It's completely gut wrenching.

This film is extremely simple, but it has some of the most gorgeous shots I've seen from Kurosawa since I started watching his older films. The beginning and end of the film in particular have excellently framed shots during the critical moments. I appreciate the Kurosawa gives us time to sit and contemplate with our thoughts like we're in a meeting with Mifune and Shimura. He treats the difficult subject matter with respect and refuses to gloss over it.

Something that I've not been able to appreciate about a Kurosawa film for a while is the music. Quiet Duel has a fantastic score that does a good job accompanying the more emotionally complex scenes. There are some sharp cuts as well that felt like a punch to the stomach. Very well done.

I did not expect this to be a recommendation for me, but it absolutely is. It also works as a good entry point into Kurosawa films if you're okay with a slower, but emotionally complex story.

Lists: ***2024 Ranked & Kurosawa Ranked***

Last Review: ***Kung Fu Panda 4***

Great plot. A masterpice.The duality of the protagonist and the cause leads to some great moments. The protagonist is trying to cure himself in secret while keeping others at bay so as to not hurt them, while the cause of his syphilis is not getting treated at all.Utilizes scenes with no dialogues in a good manner.Good idea choosing a scene with a lot of ill people lying on the ground as the first scene, sets up the tone well.Good showcasing of their harsh working condition during the surgery with one person fanning them while another wiping their sweat. The leaking roof added a nice touch.The act of surgery looked very much real.Great conversation between patients about a patient’s wife connecting to the discovery of the other patient having syphilis.Flute playing elevated the conundrum of the protagonist discovering that he has syphilis.Good showcasing of his living conditions.Great way of providing information by having two people talk about other people. Good way of ending the conversation.Great photo album sequence which is working as a swish pan. Introduction of the father while also showing us the state of his fiancee whom he left was nice.The scene connects to another which show us the protagonist’s reasoning.It then connects to a scene showcasing the disappearance of salvarsan.Good sequence of treating the patients, shows us that the other doctors know how to treat patients too. It also adds humor while giving us information about the boy’s illness.Good way of giving the probationary nurse’s backstory. The scene then connects to the protag’s father getting the information.Good way of connecting the talk about the nurse’s child with the talk of the injured patient by two different people. The scene then connects and shows us the injured person talking about his injuries.The scene then connects to show us the cause of the protag’s syphilis who tells us about his life after getting treated.Good way of showcasing the nurse’s views about the cause. The scene then connects to show us the protag’s beliefs of thinking about the happiness of other over himself.Great way of providing information about the problems caused by syphilis like having disabled children. The scene then connects to the wife of the cause confronting him.The ex-fiancee telling the protagonist about her getting arranged to be married showcased the love he still has for her and she for him.Great monologue by the protag about all he is sacrificing.The final sequence with the cause getting confronted by the nurse was great.

Great plot. A masterpice.The duality of the protagonist and the cause leads to some great moments. The protagonist is trying to cure himself in secret while keeping others at bay so as to not hurt them, while the cause of his syphilis is not getting treated at all.Utilizes scenes with no dialogues in a good manner.Good idea choosing a scene with a lot of ill people lying on the ground as the first scene, sets up the tone well.Good showcasing of their harsh working condition during the surgery with one person fanning them while another wiping their sweat. The leaking roof added a nice touch.The act of surgery looked very much real.Great conversation between patients about a patient’s wife connecting to the discovery of the other patient having syphilis.Flute playing elevated the conundrum of the protagonist discovering that he has syphilis.Good showcasing of his living conditions.Great way of providing information by having two people talk about other people. Good way of ending the conversation.Great photo album sequence which is working as a swish pan. Introduction of the father while also showing us the state of his fiancee whom he left was nice.The scene connects to another which show us the protagonist’s reasoning.It then connects to a scene showcasing the disappearance of salvarsan.Good sequence of treating the patients, shows us that the other doctors know how to treat patients too. It also adds humor while giving us information about the boy’s illness.Good way of giving the probationary nurse’s backstory. The scene then connects to the protag’s father getting the information.Good way of connecting the talk about the nurse’s child with the talk of the injured patient by two different people. The scene then connects and shows us the injured person talking about his injuries.The scene then connects to show us the cause of the protag’s syphilis who tells us about his life after getting treated.Good way of showcasing the nurse’s views about the cause. The scene then connects to show us the protag’s beliefs of thinking about the happiness of other over himself.Great way of providing information about the problems caused by syphilis like having disabled children. The scene then connects to the wife of the cause confronting him.The ex-fiancee telling the protagonist about her getting arranged to be married showcased the love he still has for her and she for him.Great monologue by the protag about all he is sacrificing.The final sequence with the cause getting confronted by the nurse was great.