lee_eisenberg Review of Ikiru

Ikiru (1952)

death exposes life and bureaucracy, showing why Kurosawa was one of the greatest

[10/10 · 2 February 2017]

Any film buff is bound to have heard of Akira Kurosawa, and likely knows his most famous movies ("Rashomon", "Seven Samurai", etc). But there's a lesser known one that's just as good. 1952's "Ikiru" focuses on the approaching death of government bureaucrat Kanji Watanabe, and how it turns into a quest for his life's meaning. After an introduction in which the protagonist's cancer gets addressed - complete with an X ray of it - we see a sequence where several people try to bring attention to a cesspool that they want cleared, but the sheer level of bureaucracy prevents any action (and Japan is supposed to be the most well run country in the world). But probably the most important scene is at the Watanabe's wake. The attendees are supposed to praise him, but one person addresses an unpleasant topic and gets chastised by his peers. Even as these men vow to live their lives with the same dedication that the deceased did, it's clear that the bureaucracy will continue to plague their lives.

While an obvious indictment of bureaucracy, the movie also addresses the issue of life and death. Can a person truly live if his job dominates his life? Watanabe sings "Gondola no Uta", which references life's brevity. His singing expresses loss. Indeed, Watanabe doesn't have much of a relationship with his son, meaning that the children have faltered in their duty to take care of their parents. All in all, the movie offers a more cynical take on post-war Japan than we're used to. Once again, Kurosawa turned out a masterpiece. I recommend it.