The Bad Sleep Well (1960)

VHS CASE/ SIDE

Length of film: 151 Minutes (U.K. Cut: 132 Minutes)

Rated: PG

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Masayuki Mori, Kyôko Kagawa, Tatsuya Mihashi, Takashi Shimura, Kô Nishimura, Takeshi Katô, Kyû Sazanka

IMDB Rank: 8 /10

Part 1 Time:  102 Minutes (U.K. Cut: N/A Minutes)

Part 2 Time:  49 Minutes (U.K. Cut: N/A Minutes)

Where does the first part end? Kôichi Nishi (Toshirô Mifune) is identified as the mastermind behind the revenge plot against the executives of the Public Development Corporation.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “You’re just a pawn for his vengeance. Stop!” Tatsuo Iwabuchi (Tatsuya Mihashi) shouts at Kôichi Nishi then proceeds to shoot him with a shotgun.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “You should’ve kept the pretense. We’d have handled it,” Construction Company Executive Director Kaneko (Kyû Sazanka) speaks with Construction Company President Hatano (Someshô Matsumoto) and Public Corporation Vice President Iwabuchi (Masayuki Mori) the following day.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Jarring, Kôichi Nishi seeks revenge for his father’s murder by going after the executives of the Public Development Corporation. However with his motives now known, will Kôichi Nishi be able to extract his vengeance on the remaining executives?

Which part is better? A fantastic film noir, depicting white collar crime and a protagonist who seeks punishment on those who have escaped justice. The pacing of the film is steady keeping you hooked until the resolution. Part one is given the advantage as Kôichi Nishi implements his plans, starting with marrying the Public Corporation Vice President Iwabuchi’s daughter Yoshiko Nishi (Kyôko Kagawa). This 20 minute wedding exposition scene not only flawlessly sets the tone for the film, but has also served as inspiration for other complex crime based films (i.e., The Godfather), as a means for introducing characters and story telling.

Academy Awards: None

Other Awards: 1961 Berlinale; Golden Berlin Bear (Nominee)