Drunken Angel is not a movie driven by plot or action, it is above all a character study of a hard living Yakuza gangster and the doctor determined to save his life. It may not be exciting or humorous, and I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, but it works quite well as a relationship movie- albeit not the kind you're probably used to.
The good doctor (the "drunken angel" of the title, played by Takashi Shimura) is an interesting character. For one thing, he drinks- a lot. At one point he sheepishly admits to a colleague that he drank the medicinal alcohol he was allotted. And his bedside manner leaves much to be desired. His manner is brusque, and he's not afraid to shout at his patients or call them idiots. But his ruff style belies the fact that he is deeply dedicated to his profession, and to those placed in his care.
But he's never had to deal with a guy like Matsunaga (Toshiro Mifune). This guy is the patient from hell. Supremely self confident, not inclined to follow instructions, and more than willing to beat you up if he doesn't like what you have to tell him. And although he doesn't want to face it, he has a deadly case of TB. If he wants to live, he'll have to straighten out and give up drinking, smoking, and the girls. But when an old 'friend' gets out of jail, his position in the underworld is threatened, and reform may be too much to ask for.
It's amazing that no matter how many times Matsunaga screws up, no matter how crass or violent he gets, the doctor never gives up on him. When he shows up knee walking drunk, the doc puts him up for the night. When he gets a late-night emergency call, he goes to care for him. The doctor complains bitterly, saying that he's had it and he refuses to see the patient anymore, but we know it's only bluster. For all his flaws, the doctor is far too dedicated to give in.
Drunken Angel is also a message movie about the dangers of hard living and the lack of honor among thieves. As his illness worsens, Matsunaga discovers that his so called friends were only interested in his wealth and influence. His old friend Okada, sensing weakness, wants his territory. The big boss sees him only as a pawn whose condition can be exploited. Even his steady girlfriend wants nothing to do with a terminally sick man.
And as severe as his illness was, Matsunaga could have lived if he had only followed the doctor's orders. But his friends and his surroundings were as deadly as the TB. The very way he lived his life was as sick as his lungs, his outlook and values as rotten as the bog that runs through the neighborhood. And yet deep down he was not a bad man. Kurosawa understood that showing an evil, repulsive man coming to a bad end would be no different from countless other morality plays. By giving us a character we can sympathize with, he has conveyed his message all the more powerfully.
The good doctor (the "drunken angel" of the title, played by Takashi Shimura) is an interesting character. For one thing, he drinks- a lot. At one point he sheepishly admits to a colleague that he drank the medicinal alcohol he was allotted. And his bedside manner leaves much to be desired. His manner is brusque, and he's not afraid to shout at his patients or call them idiots. But his ruff style belies the fact that he is deeply dedicated to his profession, and to those placed in his care.
But he's never had to deal with a guy like Matsunaga (Toshiro Mifune). This guy is the patient from hell. Supremely self confident, not inclined to follow instructions, and more than willing to beat you up if he doesn't like what you have to tell him. And although he doesn't want to face it, he has a deadly case of TB. If he wants to live, he'll have to straighten out and give up drinking, smoking, and the girls. But when an old 'friend' gets out of jail, his position in the underworld is threatened, and reform may be too much to ask for.
It's amazing that no matter how many times Matsunaga screws up, no matter how crass or violent he gets, the doctor never gives up on him. When he shows up knee walking drunk, the doc puts him up for the night. When he gets a late-night emergency call, he goes to care for him. The doctor complains bitterly, saying that he's had it and he refuses to see the patient anymore, but we know it's only bluster. For all his flaws, the doctor is far too dedicated to give in.
Drunken Angel is also a message movie about the dangers of hard living and the lack of honor among thieves. As his illness worsens, Matsunaga discovers that his so called friends were only interested in his wealth and influence. His old friend Okada, sensing weakness, wants his territory. The big boss sees him only as a pawn whose condition can be exploited. Even his steady girlfriend wants nothing to do with a terminally sick man.
And as severe as his illness was, Matsunaga could have lived if he had only followed the doctor's orders. But his friends and his surroundings were as deadly as the TB. The very way he lived his life was as sick as his lungs, his outlook and values as rotten as the bog that runs through the neighborhood. And yet deep down he was not a bad man. Kurosawa understood that showing an evil, repulsive man coming to a bad end would be no different from countless other morality plays. By giving us a character we can sympathize with, he has conveyed his message all the more powerfully.