Kurosawa & Mifune - their films together

Yoidore tenshi (1948)

A doctor finds out that a young gangster is having tuberculosis. The core of this brilliant early Kurosawa film is the stormy relationship between the two, which alongside the reality of illness challenges them both to re-evaluate their way of life.

Shizukanaru ketto (1949)

A young doctor is infected with syphilis during an operation. This leads him to new challenges and inner battles in relation to himself, his profession, and his beloved that he was about to marry, all of these portrayed very well.

This is the second early Kurosawa film with illness as a big theme. Third one is Ikiru (1952), the only Kurosawa film without Mifune during 1948-1965.

Nora inu (1949)

This film is one of my biggest personal favorites in three fields: in Kurosawa's great filmography, as a pioneer of older cop - younger cop buddy films, and as a crime film (or as film noir, if the genre is understood in a wider meaning than just american films).

Shubun (1950)

Interesting study of people's right to their private lives and of ethics of the scandal press, built around a lawsuit and courtroom drama.

Rashômon (1950)

Kurosawa's breakthrough film is a brilliant presentation about one series of events told from several different points of view. Thought-provoking but highly rewarding film, one of Kurosawa's absolute greats.

Hakuchi (1951)

Adaptation of the Dostoyevsky's classic novel. Has a very strong and emotionally touching atmosphere. Originally meant and filmed as two-parts and 265 minutes but released as 166 minute version. Unfortunately the longer version is not available.

Shichinin no samurai (1954)

This samurai epic is the most famous Kurosawa film and widely regarded not only as his best work but one of the all-time greats as well. Very influential and remade several times, for example by John Sturges as western "The Magnificent Seven" in 1960.

Ikimono no kiroku (1955)

Fear of nuclear war drives the head of the family to such anguish and extreme precautions that his family claim him to be insane. The central question of the film is brilliant: who is insane and who is sane, the one that takes (real) fear seriously and takes extreme actions according to it, or the ones who actually share the same fear, but keep on living ignoring it?

Kumonosu jô (1957)

Adaptation of Shakespeare's play "MacBeth" in a medieval samurai setting. Tremendously powerful and one my absolute favorites.

Donzoko (1957)

Adaptation of Maksim Gorky's play. Interesting portrayal of several different people and their life stories as told by themselves while interacting with other people in a slum environment.

Kakushi-toride no san-akunin (1958)

Samurai adventure with comedic elements and involving rescuing a princess, which both had great influence on George Lucas and his Star Wars saga.

Warui yatsu hodo yoku nemuru (1960)

Not an actual Shakespeare's "Hamlet" adaptation, but nevertheless loosely based or at least heavily influenced by it, this film is a wonderful study of corrupt business world and relationships.

Yojimbo (1961)

One of the better known Kurosawa films portrays Mifune as an opportunistic badass samurai mercenary. Also very influential and remade for example by Sergio Leone as western "Fistful of Dollars" in 1964.

Tsubaki Sanjûrô (1962)

An independent sequel to Yojimbo has a lot of common with it, but is clearly less serious and more comedy. Both also have great and underrated Tatsuya Nakadai as Mifune's adversary.

Tengoku to jigoku (1963)

This film is a brilliant combination of crime investigation movie and a study of moral issues, in individual level as well as involving business.

Akahige (1965)

The swan song of Kurosawa-Mifune era is a monumental and deep humanistic study with a young doctor - old doctor setting.