High and Low ( Tengoku to jigoku ) Movie Information

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Movie Information

Overall Rank: 496

Average Rating: 3.2/4

# of Ratings: 46

Theatrical Release Date: 11/26/1963

Blu-ray/DVD Release Date: 07/22/2008

Language: Japanese

Genre: Thriller, Drama

MPAA Rating: NR

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Actors: Toshirô Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Kyôko Kagawa, Takashi Shimura, Isao Kimura, Kenjiro Ishiyama

Plot: An executive of a shoe company becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur's son is kidnapped and held for ransom.

Chris Kavan - wrote on 07/08/2012

Fantastic Kurosawa film that really encompasses two stories: an executive dealing with a kidnapping - not even his own son - and deciding between a life or his own financial well being and the subsequent aftermath of the police hunting down the kidnapper. Tense, dramatic and a bit of noir - a great blend from a masterful director.

mitchellyoung - wrote on 10/23/2011

Kurosawa, once again mastering a genre, devises a thriller that serves to intrigue, as well as give significant social commentary. The critic of social castes is biting, but never over-the-top in its message. One of Kurosawa's absolute best, though it sometimes goes unnoticed among the samuraii films.

Daniel Corleone
Movie God

High and Low review

Daniel Corleone - wrote on 11/22/2012

The title means "Heaven and Hell," and the picture and themes never get dated. Kingo Gondo (Toshiro Mifune) is an executive for National Shows who faces a dilemma whether to pay the ransom for his chauffeur's child or to gain full control of the company. Screenplay was extraordinarily clever and provocative with lines: "Success is not worth loosing your humanity." by Reiko Gondo, "My work is part of me." by Kingo and "I'm not interested in self-analysis. I do know my room was so cold in winter and so hot in summer I couldn't sleep. Your house looked like heaven, high up there. That's how I began to hate you." by Ginjirô Takeuchi (Tsutomu Yamazaki). All the artists were solid in their performances while humor was slightly injected to since the mood was tense. Camera direction was a …