The Lower Depths (1957)
Donzoko (original title)Reference View | Change View
- Not Rated
- 2h 17min
- Drama
- 01 Oct 1957 (Japan)
- Movie
- 5 wins.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
Toshirô Mifune | ... |
Sutekichi the Thief
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Isuzu Yamada | ... |
Osugi the Landlady
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Kyôko Kagawa | ... |
Okayo, Osugi's Sister
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Ganjirô Nakamura | ... |
Rokubei, Osugi's Husband
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Minoru Chiaki | ... |
Tonosama - the former Samurai
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Kamatari Fujiwara | ... |
The Actor
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Akemi Negishi | ... |
Osen the Prostitute
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Nijiko Kiyokawa | ... |
Otaki the Candy-Seller
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Kôji Mitsui | ... |
Yoshisaburo the Gambler
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Eijirô Tôno | ... |
Tomekichi the Tinker
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Haruo Tanaka | ... |
Tatsu
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Eiko Miyoshi | ... |
Asa, Tomekichi's Wife
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Bokuzen Hidari | ... |
Kahei the Pilgrim
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Atsushi Watanabe | ... |
Kuna
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Kichijirô Ueda | ... |
Shimazo the Police Agent
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Yû Fujiki | ... |
Unokichi
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Fujitayama | ... |
Tsugaru
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Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
Kamayuki Tsubono | ... |
Tradesman (uncredited)
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Directed by
Akira Kurosawa |
Written by
Maxim Gorky | ... | (play "The Lower Depths") |
Akira Kurosawa | ... | () |
Hideo Oguni | ... | () |
Produced by
Akira Kurosawa | ... | producer |
Sôjirô Motoki | ... | associate producer |
Tomoyuki Tanaka | ... | associate producer |
Music by
Masaru Satô |
Cinematography by
Kazuo Yamazaki |
Editing by
Akira Kurosawa |
Editorial Department
Chozo Kobata | ... | negative cutter |
Production Design by
Yoshirô Muraki |
Costume Design by
Yoshiko Samejima |
Makeup Department
Yoshiko Matsumoto | ... | hair stylist |
Junjirô Yamada | ... | hair stylist |
Production Management
Hiroshi Nezu | ... | production supervisor |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yoshimitsu Banno | ... | assistant director (as Yoshimitsu Sakano) |
Toshi Kaneko | ... | assistant director |
Yasuyoshi Tajitsu | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
Kôichi Hamamura | ... | property master |
Jun Sakuma | ... | assistant art director |
Sound Department
Ichirô Minawa | ... | sound effects editor |
Mimachi Norase | ... | chief sound assistant |
Fumio Yanoguchi | ... | sound recordist |
Shoichi Yoshizawa | ... | sound assistant |
Camera and Electrical Department
Masao Fukuda | ... | still photographer |
Shigeru Mori | ... | lighting technician |
Katsumi Murakami | ... | assistant lighting technician |
Takao Saitô | ... | assistant camera |
Script and Continuity Department
Teruyo Nogami | ... | script supervisor |
Additional Crew
Mitsugu Narita | ... | production assistant |
Yûichi Yoshitake | ... | acting office |
Georges Goldfayn | ... | french subtitles by (uncredited) |
H.L. Govaers | ... | french subtitles by (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Toho (1957) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Toho (1962) (United States) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Nouvelles Éditions de Films (NEF) (1981) (France) (theatrical)
- Janus Films (1988) (World-wide)
- Sony Video Software Company (SVSC) Inc. (1988) (United States) (VHS)
- Sony Video Software Company (SVSC) Inc. (1998) (United States) (VHS)
- Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- The Criterion Collection (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- Madman Entertainment (2007) (Australia) (DVD)
- Madman Entertainment (2007) (New Zealand)
- Mondo Home Entertainment (2008) (Italy) (DVD)
- The Criterion Collection (2009) (United States) (DVD)
- Carlotta Films (2016) (France) (theatrical) (re-release) (restored version)
- Carlotta Films (2019) (France) (theatrical) (re-release) (restored version)
- Connaissance du Cinéma (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
- BFI Video (2011) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Brandon Films (US version)
- Home Vision Cinema (United States) (VHS)
- KSM (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
- L'Avant-Scène/Les Films de ma Vie (France) (DVD)
- Sinister Film (2023) (Italy)
- WOWOW (2012) (Japan) (tv)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Kyoto Costumes (costumes)
- TVS-Titra Film (French subtitles; original version with subtitles)
- Toho Studios (sound stages)
Storyline
Plot Summary |
In medieval Japan, aging Rokubei, his younger wife of four years Osugi and her uncle run a tenement complex at the bottom of a cliff, the complex which from the naked eye at the top of the cliff looks like nothing more than a rubbish heap. The tenants are a group of down-and-outers with some who operate on the far side of the law. Nonetheless, the tenants are close knit community in wallowing in their collective misery, those who care who know their lives will never get better as long as they stay there. The landlords have no compassion for the tenants, they mockingly only stating that the tenants will be given a favorable standing in a future life for any good deeds done around the tenement. The recent arrival of Kahei, a mysterious elderly man, affectionately referred to as Grandpa, who spins tales of the unknown, provides at least hope that there is a better life out there somewhere. Sutekichi, a thief who arguably is the leader among the tenants, and Osugi are carrying on an affair behind Rokubei's back. Although he has previously professed his love for her, the words were more an empty platitude. He begins to have feelings for Osugi's younger sister, Okaya, who works for her sister cleaning up the tenement under her watchful eye. Okaya does not know if she can trust the words of anyone who lives in the complex, while Osugi, who knows of Sutekichi feelings for Okaya, begins to have feelings of jealousy. Osugi and Sutekichi work toward their own goals at the expense of others within the complex. Written by Huggo |
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Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Did You Know?
Trivia | The entire film was shot mostly in sequence and was finished in about four weeks. See more » |
Movie Connections | Featured in The 62nd Annual Academy Awards (1990). See more » |
Quotes |
Sutekichi the Thief:
Lies trump the truth every time. See more » |