The 1974 neo-noir The Yakuza stars Robert Mitchum, who was (along with Humphrey Bogart) the greatest male star of classic film noir. 25 years later, the world-weary Mitchum was still as jaded and just as cool. Here, Mitchum plays a former GI who returns to Japan to help rescue the kidnapped daughter of an army buddy (Brian Keith) who still lives in Japan. Mitchum’s character has a unique relationship with a former Yazuka (Ken Takakura), who can help him navigate the Japanese underworld.
Of course, the Japanese had been making Yakuza movies for over a decade, but The Yakuza introduced American audiences to the code of behavior of the Yakuza (severed fingers and all) and other aspects of Japanese culture. There’s a big reveal about two of the characters, and the finale is heavy duty.
Mitchum, so compelling in his take-the-shirt-off days of classic noir, aged into an even more effective presence in neo-noir, most notably and heartbreakingly in The Friends of Eddie Coyle, but also here and in his two Philip Marlowe movies.
The Yazuka was directed by Sydney Pollack (Out of Africa, Tootsie, Jeremiah Johnson) from a screenplay adapted by Paul Shrader (Taxi Driver) and Robert Towne (Chinatown). James Shigeta, who I discuss in my post about The Crimson Kimono, also appears. It should be no surprise that The Yazuka is an excellent movie.
The Yakuza appears from time to time on Turner Classic Movies and can be streamed from Amazon, AppleTV and Fandango.
