Flick of the Day: The Yakuza

Sydney Pollack, who passed away in May 2008, was one of the great underestimated talents of American cinema in the last century. A director, producer and actor, he was a multi talented individual who won two Academy Awards. Perhaps his most endearing talent was his ability as an artist to turn his hand to a diverse range of genres. From comedy to thrillers to romance to drama, he could direct a picture. In this vein, today's flick of the day is The Yakuza, a 1974 Japan set neo-noir.

The Yakuza

A film that was little seen on its original release, The Yakuza was directed by Pollack from a script by Paul Schrader who would go onto find greater fame with his script for Taxi Driver and Blue Collar. An ageing Robert Mitchum is Harry Kilmer, an ex-military policeman asked to return to Japan by an old friend to intervene on behalf of his daughter who has been kidnapped by members of the Yakuza. Kilmer has not been back to Japan for 20 years since the last days of the occupation and returning brings back many memories. He reconnects with his old flame Eiko and her brother Ken, who was a high ranking Yakuza when Harry left Japan and Harry's sworn enemy. Ken is played by the great Japanese actor Takakura Ken. Ken has always resented Harry as he took care of Eiko during the war and thus is owed a debt that cannot be repaid by Ken. In an effort to repay this debt, Harry and Ken, who has left the Yakuza, join forces to save the girl. All however is not as it seems and Harry is forced to see where his true loyalties and those of his friends lie as the film moves to a dramatic and fitting finale.

The Yakuza is an unusual film for its era, even in the supposedly enlightened 70's. It displays a strong degree of cultural sensitivity and a surprisingly deep understanding of Japanese culture. This is perhaps due to Paul Schrader's meticulously researched script, based on a story by his brother Leonard. Schrader was one of the great writing talents to emerge from the 70's new wave of American cinema and though he would go on to greater things, this is a fine debut. The film is very much an exploration of the themes of guilt and honour. Mitchum's Harry is a world weary vet who has to question his past actions and even his point of view to reconcile with Ken and become immersed once more in Japanese culture.

Pollack as a director has always been more known for his ability to draw performances from actors then for a distinct visual style and this is evident in this film. Mitchum gives one of the best performances of his later career and gives this appearance throughout of carrying a great burden on his shoulders, namely his past. That said, the film is visually stylish, making great use of the almost otherworldly nature of hyper modern Japan. There is colour galore, with an Autumnal tone throughout perhaps to enforce the feeling of impending death.

It really is a shame that this film was not seen by a wider audience on its release as it is a gem. A surprisingly intelligent and deep tale will hold your interest throughout while Ken and Harry form a great partnership. At times a sober and quiet meditation on sacrifice, it introduces western audiences to the nature of Japanese culture and beliefs. Yet in the end, it delivers a thrilling and spectacular denouement in which Ken shows his incredible skills with a katana.

The decision to use ethnic actors and to film in Japan may not seem ground breaking for a modern cinema goer but they were at the time. You have to imagine this is an era where it was only a few short years on from Genghis Khan being played by John Wayne or an Apache Native American being played by Burt Lancaster. It is a good thing that this is no longer something seen as acceptable and yet it sets this film apart and marks it as something which along with the subject matter, is ahead of its time. A fine film.

Flick of The Day: Blue Collar

The lives of the average blue collar worker are usually beneath the eye of the Hollywood system. Except for rare examples such as this, there are no working class people in mainstream American cinema. They are either comfortably affluent or desperately poor. You can spot the desperately poor because they take the bus. It takes a brave film-maker to point out the flaws in the American dream.

Blue Collar (Amazon.com Exclusive)

Paul Schrader, who made his name as screenwriter never afraid to tackle taboo subjects, writing films such as Taxi Driver, Hardcore and The Last Temptation Of Christ makes his directorial debut with this biting attack on the corruption endemic in the Detroit car industry. Starring Richard Pryor, who is superb in one of his only dramatic performances. Harvey Keitel and Yaphet Kotto complete the trio of auto-workers, who disillusioned with an uncaring employer and a union more concerned with lining its own pockets then helping its members, decide to break into the union offices and crack its safe.

The picture Schrader paints of the Detroit car industry and of the unions which sustain it is not a pretty one. From the Foreman who bullies his workers, to the Shop Steward who refuses to look after their grievances and a taxation system ready to hit them like a ton of bricks if they step out of line, this film makes a point of sympathising with the troubles of the little man. For that alone, it deserves credit for originality of ideas. The script pulls no punches as the Yaphet Kotto character Smokey James puts it:

"They pit the lifers against the new boy and the young against the old. The black against the white. Everything they do is to keep us in our place."

Of course, the robbery nets the trio very little in cash but they do come across a ledger which documents the union's illegal activities. This is when the union begins to show its true colours. The film's downbeat ending was too much for audiences in the late '70s and the film was a commercial flop while still critically acclaimed. The script is peppered with the kind of authentic street level dialogue that gives the film its gritty realism. The performances of all 3 leads is superb, which is amazing given that as legend has it, none of them got along together with fistfights between takes not uncommon.

Looking back now after all of the much publicised troubles of the American car industry and its workers, this film seems eerily prescient of that which was to come. The big car companies and the unions are portrayed as equally despicable and very much in league with each other. Given these odds, how could the common worker hope to defeat them? It is telling that no major car company would allow the film to be shot on their line. This is a great film and an excellent portrait of the hardships of factory life. I urge you to seek it out.