The Crimson Kimono

Released Oct 11, 1959

1h 24m

Crime

Drama

List

80%

Tomatometer

15 Reviews

72%

Audience Score

250+ Ratings

A Los Angeles detective (Glenn Corbett) and his Japanese partner (James Shigeta) woo an artist (Victoria Shaw) while solving a stripper's murder.

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George Bourke

Miami Herald

An obvious production of low budget, the Crimson Kimona nevertheless has some good moments, photographically as well as in performance.

Jul 27, 2021

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

The mystery melodrama part of the film gets lost during the complicated romance, and the racial tolerance plea is cheapened by its inclusion in a film of otherwise straight action.

May 11, 2020

Full Review

Geoff Samuel

Time Out

Some fine set pieces and thoughtful camera-work serve to illustrate Fuller's gift for weaving a poetic nihilism out of his journalistic vision of urban crime.

Jun 24, 2006

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Promoted upon its original release with such lurid and misleading lines like, "Yes, this is a beautiful American girl in the arms of a Japanese boy! What was his strange appeal for American girls?" this is actually a thoughtful drama.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 1, 2021

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

The Crimson Kimono segues into a routine police-procedural midsection that becomes less and less interesting (and more and more tedious) as time progresses...

Rated: 2/4

Jun 9, 2021

Full Review

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Every bit as daring as Fuller's signature noir Pickup on South Street, his The Crimson Kimono deserves recognition for also being, strangely enough, one of his more hopeful films.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 8, 2020

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Bill T

WOW! Samuel Fuller, a director who admitted I've never been too crazy about, totally knocks it out of the park with this film, about two detectives, one white and one Asian, trying to find the killer of a sleazy burlesque dancer. Their investigation goes into Japantown, or Chinatown, or somewhere similar, as they investigate clues and witnesses. The first part of this I thought was very interesting, as these two investigate leads on their own, and each lead story is intercut with one another. It's a fascinating device I've actually never seen (and more on this a bit later). Anyways, they do get a lady who may be able to recognize the lead suspect if she saw him again. the white agent soon falls for this (white) lady, but soon the lady realizes, and soon the asian detective realizes, that they're hot for each other! So there's a real triangle happening. Oh, did I mention it's 1959? Stuff like this was still frowned upon. The Asian detective knows it, and so it's killing him how to break it to his partner without him being hateful or even mortified. WAIT, did I say there was a murder mystery going on? LOL Remember how I was marvelling at the split stories happening at the beginning? Fuller MARVELLOUSLY uses this device to split up the two stories, the mystery, the romance, and (three if you count it) the race politics. The conclusion is JUST GREAT, it so ties in to what was said before. I was so so super impressed with this movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/16/23

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Audience Member

Remind Blobbo episode Naked City or Route 66. Narrative stagnate after a while, though.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

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Audience Member

omk, I love this movie so much. It's problematic, but its being problematic in fresh and unexpected ways for 1959 is so exciting. Also, James Shigeta and that incredible radio/Shakespearian tragedy voice...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

Full Review

susan f

Great to see a film with a less simplistic view of USA race relations. I thought Shigeta was great. Not over the top at all for a 1959 film noir/love story.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

ashley h

The Crimson Kimono is an excellent film. It is about two detectives who seek a stripper's killer in the Japanese quarter of Los Angeles. Victoria Shaw and Glenn Corbett give fantastic performances. The script is well written. Samuel Fuller did a great job directing this movie. I enjoyed watching this motion picture because of the drama and mystery. The Crimson Kimono is a must see.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Clearly writer/director Samuel Fuller's intent here was to explore interracial relationships and the alienation encountered by Japanese-Americans after WWII. It's all framed inside a murder investigation by two cops - one white and the other Japanese. I found the acting by the male leads, James Shigeta and Glenn Corbett, overly melodramatic in certain scenes and the plotting misfires. Nonetheless, it's Fuller. It's Noir. It's wholly watchable.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

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Samuel Fuller

Director

Victoria Shaw

Christine Downs

Glenn Corbett

Detective Sergeant Charlie Bancroft

James Shigeta

Detective Joe Kojaku

Anna Lee

Mac

Paul Dubov

Casale

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Synopsis

A Los Angeles detective (Glenn Corbett) and his Japanese partner (James Shigeta) woo an artist (Victoria Shaw) while solving a stripper's murder.

Director: Samuel Fuller
Screenwriter: Samuel Fuller
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Columbia Pictures Corporation
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 11, 1959, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012
Runtime: 1h 24m
Sound Mix: Mono

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