Red Beard

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Cast & Crew

Toshiro Mifune
Redbeard

Yûzô Kayama
Noboru Yasumoto

Yoshio Tsuchiya
Handayu Mori

Reiko Dan
Osugi

Kyoko Kagawa
Madwoman

Terumi Niki
Otoyo

Akira Kurosawa
Director

Masato Ide
Writer

Ryûzô Kikushima
Writer

Akira Kurosawa
Writer

Hideo Oguni
Writer

Shûgorô Yamamoto
Writer

Ryûzô Kikushima
Executive Producer

Tomoyuki Tanaka
Executive Producer

Masaru Satô
Original Music

Asakazu Nakai
Cinematography

Takao Saitô
Cinematography

Yoshirô Muraki
Production Design

Shirô Moritani
First Assistant Director

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Audience Reviews for Red Beard

• Sep 12, 2012

  Japanese movie, Japanese actors, Japanese sets and locations, so why does this film feel as if were shot on the Warner Brothers backlot? Yet it does AND like they did it, say, in the late 40's or early 50's. An arrogant young doctor learns humility thanks to charismatic elder sawbones. There's a ton of subplots too, and minor characters, but all in all still engaging.
  Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
• Nov 29, 2011

  A different type of film from Kurosawa than what he usually makes. Sort of like Rashomon, but not quite as provocative or experimental as that film. This film is about relationships between all the people who come in contact with a clinic for the sick and it's head doctor--Dr. Niide. He is also known as Red Beard and is played very well by Toshiro Mifune, who gives a very wise and sensitive performance as the doctor. This film is very slow moving and calmly paces ahead with it's characters. We see great organic development in the film's characters, something which is very rewarding to watch on film. Genuinely touching, serious, and even funny at times, Kurosawa's last collaboration with Mifune is a very good film, just a little difficult to sit through at times, but really worth it.
  G S Super Reviewer
• Feb 02, 2010

  Akira Kurosawa's three-hour masterpiece follows young doctor Noboru Yasumoto as he is sent to work at a public health facility. He had been trained overseas and was expecting to be the private doctor of the shogun, and so he's unpleasantly surprised when he finds out what his new assignment is. The doctor who he's replacing seems especially cynical: "These people would be better off dead" he says of the empoverished patients. Not only is he cynical when it comes to the patients, he's also cynical of the hospital's overseer, "Red Beard" (Toshiro Mifune). The older doctor paints horror stories for the new young doctor of their boss with the red beard, and Yasumoto tries to get thrown out of his position by rebelling against the hardened Red Beard. Much like the film, Captains Courageous, Yasumoto soon learns his boss isn't really a monster, but a great and kind (if gruff) man, as he's shown how to truly help his fellow man. Red Beard unfolds like a great novel, it takes it's time in giving nuance and depth to the stories of the patients the doctors help. I was wondering how they'd work in a fight scene for Toshiro Mifune, what with him being a respectable doctor and all, but they somehow managed it. Mifune is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors of all time (note, I didnt' quantify it by saing "greatest Japanese actor", his appeal extends beyond national boundaries), and yet here he's probably playing one of his lesser roles (despite being the title character). It's a terrific ensemble cast. Kurosawa directs with his usual flair, but here there are some unique touches that really jump out at the viewer. Most noteably the strange lighting effect used in the scene with the little girl who's rescued from the brothel, as she's recouperating in bed. The way only her eyes are lit creates an eerie, creepy effect. Red Beard is a touching, poignant, comedy, drama, tear-jerker that runs the gamut of emotions. One of the best films ever.
  Devon B Super Reviewer
• Nov 14, 2009

  The content is average, the form peerless.
  Tom S Super Reviewer

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