william d
Definitely not one of the better Kurosawa/Mifune collaborations. This overwrought melodrama's failings - all of the characters spend the majority of their time crying or hanging their heads in sorrow - are exacerbated by the terrible acting of Noriko Sengoku.
Rated 1.5/5 Stars •
Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
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Audience Member
Of Mifune's films I've seen, this is his crowning achievement, playing many notes in a consistent key. His breakdown in front of the nurse, largely done in a single take, is so raw, genuine, beyond the realm of mere acting.
I'm not sure what the thickets around the gates are meant to symbolize, besides it's use as a transition device - the film takes place over many years. But I like the way it's lit, especially with snow, or wet from melting. It also obscures a conversation between Kyoji and his girlfriend, which at first they are in front of, but immediately cuts to and remains on reverse angle when he won't be open with her.
Perhaps the character with most arc is his nurse, a beautiful performance. She's conniving, shady, distrustful. We don't know what her intentions are. She's a former dancer, and one of her coworkers thinks she may even have been a prostitute, which makes her erupt - is this taking offense because it's true, or defense that she never went so far? She got knocked up and left with a baby she wanted to abort. She started off a total bitch at her job, as evidenced by her slouched manner the second we see her working at the doctor's office. But she falls in love with Kyoji, causing her to work harder and mature her blasé views.
Kyoji is considered a saint by the end of the film, Kurosawa using the symbol and theme of sacrifice as he has in other works. Kyoji literally wears the disease of his patient, and goes on working for the happiness of his other patients, despite what a dick this guy Nakada is to him. He helps those who have no money. He releases his long time girlfriend from a commitment, which she does not want to oblige, because he knows he can no longer make love to her with his disease.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/12/23
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Audience Member
good early career pic from the master, Kurosawa
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/21/23
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A young Doctor tries hard to do the right thing no matter what, even if that means hurting the people he loves. Akira's previous film I watched Drunken Angel has the same plot centered around a Doctor and a disease, I think these film's may have been made to inspire the youngsters of the 40's to become Doctors in profession, as Kurosawa's has them as his main leading protagonist in theses two films.
A Doctor in the war is helping medicate and operate on the most poorly hurt soldiers, during this time he is having a long and grueling operation on a soldier- in which he takes off his elastic glove and begins stitching him up. He cuts his finger on a scalpel he placed limply on the edge of his tray table, in this poor excuse of a doctors surgery in the middle of nowhere, behind enemy lines, A doctor just trying to do his part, makes a simple mistake. He finds later the soldier had a horrible disease and had contracted it with his open wound on his finger.
The film goes ahead in the future months (maybe years) later. The doctor is back in his practice- his clinic. The love of his life is being taken from him by the embarrassing infectious disease he has. He is fighting to keep it a secret, but eventually comes to tell his colleague/father. A young practicing nurse eavesdrops on there conversation and starts helping the doctor with his necessary daily vaccine injections to fight his disease off. In the begging she is immature and rude- as she fights the disease with the troubled Doctor. The two grow into more mature and stronger human beings. The Doctor must fight off desire for his wife, with a stubborn like commitment to helping everyone him, while struggling to neglect his primal feelings.
With precise and smooth camera work and all that those brilliant transitions from scenes to scenes, I am starting to run out of words to explain Akira Kurosawa's film. They are strong and enveloping portrays of strong but struck-en characters. The camera hovers over each scene like a fly on the wall, not quite staying still always flying off to a better view of the actors. This film has more, technically great moments then all of his film so far- a constant thing he uses is this old metal fence, like something from a cemetery- he keeps cutting to it as both an hour glass of how much time has passed with snow or blossoming flowers- or just to show how the main character is feeling with all his grief of having to do the right thing. but not the thing he wants. A great film, that I feel, like I said was made as both a great story and to inspire more future doctors in the struggling time this film was released, after the war.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/29/23
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(***): [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/18/23
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Audience Member
A heart wrenching raw honest drama about a doctor who accidentally cuts himself during an operation & sadly contracts syphilis.
Hence the title Quiet Duel that is simply what the man does to prepare for death & shut others out. The are something fantastic camera shots & this film is directed well.
As the film progresses so does the tension & you really believe & feel for the characters. It's a beautiful poetic film that's not afraid of showing things how they are...a powerful film.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/31/23
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