Ikiru

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生きる
Ikiru
Image:Kuroikiru.jpg
Japanese original poster
Directed by Akira Kurosawa
Produced by Sojiro Motoki
Written by Shinobu Hashimoto
Akira Kurosawa
Hideo Oguni
Starring Takashi Shimura
Distributed by Toho
Release date(s) October 9, 1952 (Japan)
Running time 143 min.
Language Japanese
IMDb profile

Ikiru (生きる?) is a 1952 Japanese motion picture written and directed by the acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. The title Ikiru translates to "to live" in English. The film examines the struggles of a Tokyo bureaucrat and his final quest for meaning.

Contents

[edit] Plot

The movie stars Takashi Shimura, who played in many of Kurosawa's films (most notably as the leader of Seven Samurai), as Kanji Watanabe. Watanabe is a middle-aged man who has worked in the same monotonous bureaucratic position for decades. Furthermore, his relationship with his son has become strained, as his son and daughter-in-law seem to care mainly about his pension and their future inheritance.

After realizing he has stomach cancer, giving him less than a year to live, Watanabe attempts to come to terms with his impending death. He tries to find escape in the pleasures of Tokyo's nightlife, but after one night realizes this is not the answer.

Worth noticing in the night club scene is Watanabe's theme song, Gondola no Uta, which he sings to the horror of those watching him. The song is a ballad encouraging young women to find love. In the Japan of the 1950s, the post-war reality of significantly fewer eligible men sometimes required young women who hoped for families to accept men Watanabe's age (or older) as spouses.

The next day, a chance encounter with one of his colleagues leads him to pursue a different solution. Watanabe is attracted to her joyous love of life and enthusiasm. He opens up to her by saying he just wants to live one day in such a carefree, youthful way like she does. She reveals that her happiness comes from her new job, making toys, which makes her feel like she's friends with all the children of Japan. Kanji then plans to tell his son about the cancer, but decides against it when his son does not pay attention to him.

Inspired by her example, Watanabe dedicates his remaining time to accomplishing one worthwhile achievement before his life ends; by dint of his persistent will, he is able to overcome the inertia of bureaucracy and turn a mosquito-infested cesspool into a children's playground.

The last third of the film takes place during Watanabe's wake, as his former co-workers try to figure out what caused such a dramatic change in his behavior. His transformation from listless bureaucrat to passionate advocate puzzled them. As the co-workers drink, they slowly realize that Watanabe must have known he was dying. They drunkenly vow to live their lives with the same dedication and passion as he did. They soon find themselves back at work, however, buried under the same meaningless busy-work they had vowed to fight.

An iconic scene from the movie is from the last few moments in Watanabe's life, as he sits on the swing at the park he built. As the snow falls we see Watanabe gazing lovingly over the playground, at peace with himself and the world. He sings a song about falling in love while still young, for life is short.

Image:Ikiruscreenshot.jpg
Takashi Shimura in Ikiru

[edit] Quotes

  • "I can't afford to hate anyone. I don't have that kind of time."
  • "You're not supposed to do anything there. Doing anything but nothing is radical."
  • "The public worry about bribes and 40,000 cars, but that is just fart compared to this massive, colossal waste of time [in government]"
  • "Life is brief, fall in love, maidens...Before the crimson bloom fades from your lips...Before the tides of passion cools within you...For those of you who know no tomorrow...Life is brief, fall in love, maidens...Before our raven tresses begin to fade...Before the flames in your hearts flicker and die...For those to whom today will never return..."

[edit] References


[edit] External links

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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
Ikiru
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Films directed by Akira Kurosawa
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
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de:Einmal wirklich leben

eo:Ikiru (filmo) fr:Vivre (1952) it:Vivere (film 1952) kn:ಇಕಿರು ka:ცხოვრება ja:生きる pt:Ikiru fi:Ikiru – tuomittu sv:Att leva (1952) zh:生之慾

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