The Human Condition III: A Soldier’s Prayer (1961)

Ningen no jôken (1959)

***Unable to locate VHS cover at this time.

Length of film: 190 Minutes

Rated: 15

Genre: Drama, History, War

Director: Masaki Kobayashi

Starring: Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratama, Tamao Nakamura, Yûsuke Kawazu, Chishû Ryû, Taketoshi Naitô, Kyôko Kishida

IMDB Rank: 8.8/10

Part 1 Time: 90 Minutes

Part 2 Time: 100 Minutes

Where does the first part end? Kaji (Tatsuya Nakadai) chastises and his remaining associates following their treatment of civilian refugees.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “You bastards can crawl on all fours from now on,” states Kaji.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “Who goes there?” A soldier from a group of Japanese army holdouts calls out to Kaji and his associates.

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Minimal, as Japanese forces have been shattered by the allies and are nearing surrender. Kaji continues his dangerous trek across Manchuria he is guided by his willingness to be reunited with his wife Michiko (Michiyo Aratama).

Which part is better? This film depicts the chaos faced by Japanese soldiers following Japan’s surrender. Part two is better, as Kaji’s narrative comes full circle, as he finds himself in the exact opposite position he held in the first part of the film (The Human Condition: No Greater Love (1959)), a prisoner of war forced to work for the Russians. It is a bittersweet end to the Kaji narrative.

Academy Awards: None