High and Low! Realistic

Every movie of Akira Kurosawa that I have watched seem to be different. But one thing that is common to all is that I have loved each one of them.

High and Low, released in 1963, is a movie about the fight between the mind and heart, if I can say so. Of course, it also happens to be a thriller.

The movie is about Kingo Gondo played by Toshirô Mifune. He heads the factories at National Shoes. He raises money by mortgaging his every asset to take over National Shoes. Just on the day that he is to finalize the deal, a telephone call wrecks his future. The caller informs him that he has kidnapped his son and demands a ransom of 30 million Yen. Fortunately, it is soon discovered that it's only the chauffeur's son who is kidnapped due to mistaken identity. An immediate sigh of relief leads to a profound dilemma. The forces within him battle. One, lobbies with him to pursue his dream of owning the company that he works at. The other, with emotional pressure from wife and chauffeur, nags him to be a good human being and save the kid.

After having decided to be a good human, sacrifice his dreams and risk his fortunes, Gondo decides to save the kid.

The movie, thereafter, is about the police investigation leading to nabbing the kidnapper. This part of the movie, as it is in other parts, very realistic and detailed. I was, often in between, reminded to Indian movies or for that matter Hollywood movies. The investigation was team work with no larger than life characters.

The movie is about details which kept me engaged. Must watch!