Ikiru
Ikiru Criterion Collection DVD cover
Directed by	Akira Kurosawa
Produced by	Sojiro Motoki
Written by	Shinobu Hashimoto Akira Kurosawa Hideo Oguni
Starring	Takashi Shimura
Distributed by	Toho
Released	October 9, 1952 (Japan)
Running time	143 min.
Language	Japanese
IMDb profile

Ikiru (生きる) is a 1952 black and white movie written and directed by the acclaimed Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa and inspired by Leo Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich. The title Ikiru translates to "To Live" in English. Ikiru looks at the problem of a bureaucracy in post-war Japan and explores existentialism. Can and does one meaningful act define your existence and overcome the absurdity of life? It is one of his lesser known movies, and was the film that he made directly after his huge success Rashomon, which won an Academy Award in 1952. Despite the fact that it is not as well known as some other Kurosawa films, it is considered by many American film critics to be one of his best. It is also arguably Shimura Takashi's best role, as the quiet and meek Watanabe. Image File history File links Ikiru_Poster. ... Akira Kurosawa (黒澤 明 Kurosawa Akira, also é»’æ²¢ 明 in Shinjitai, 23 March 1910 – 6 September 1998) was a prominent Japanese film director, film producer, and screenwriter. ... Shinobu Hashimoto (橋本 忍助手 Hashimoto Shinobu) (April 18, 1918-) was a Japanese screenwriter, director, producer, and frequent collaborator with Akira Kurosawa. ... Akira Kurosawa (黒澤 明 Kurosawa Akira, also é»’æ²¢ 明 in Shinjitai, 23 March 1910 – 6 September 1998) was a prominent Japanese film director, film producer, and screenwriter. ... Takashi Shimura (志村 喬 Shimura Takashi, 12 March 1905 - 11 February 1982) is one of the great Japanese actors of the last century. ... Toho Company, Ltd. ... October 9 is the 282nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (283rd in Leap years). ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Akira Kurosawa (黒澤 明 Kurosawa Akira, also é»’æ²¢ 明 in Shinjitai, 23 March 1910 – 6 September 1998) was a prominent Japanese film director, film producer, and screenwriter. ... Leo Tolstoy, pictured late in life Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (help· info) (Russian: Лев Никола́евич Толсто́й; commonly referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy) (September 9, 1828 – November 20, 1910, N.S.; August 28, 1828 – November 7, 1910, O.S.) was a Russian novelist, social reformer, pacifist, Christian anarchist, vegetarian, moral thinker and... The Death of Ivan Ilyich, first published in 1886, is a novella by Leo Tolstoy. ... Bureaucracy is a concept in sociology and political science. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... Rashomon (羅生門) is a Japanese motion picture made in 1950 by director Akira Kurosawa. ... Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... 1952 (MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The movie stars Takashi Shimura, who played in many of Kurosawa's films, as Kanji Watanabe. Kanji is an old man who has worked in the same bureaucratic position for decades. His job entails sitting at a desk stamping papers and generally doing nothing until it is time to go home. In addition to his lifeless job, Kanji's son has become estranged from him and shows little affection to his father. But to Kanji's surprise, he is diagnosed with stomach cancer, giving him less than a year to live. Since nothing can be done to save him, the doctors lie to him about his condition, but Kanji had been warned already about their false reassurances and understood their true meaning. This prompts him to make some drastic changes to his ever shortening life. He first attempts to live a life of hedonism, seeking women in noisy clubs but soon finds "pleasure" hollow. He attempts but fails to talk to his family, and spending the night in town with a novelist leaves him unfullfilled. He then dedicates the rest of his life to a project neglected by bureaucracy and remiss bureaucrats. His persistent will may be able to overcome the inertia of bureaucracy and turn a mosquito-infested cesspool into a children's playground. Takashi Shimura (志村 喬 Shimura Takashi, 12 March 1905 - 11 February 1982) is one of the great Japanese actors of the last century. ... When normal cells are damaged beyond repair, they are eliminated by apoptosis. ... A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy, usually within an institution of the government. ... Genera See text. ...

Takashi Shimura in Ikiru

Ikiru is a significant Kurosawa film because it manages to be a powerful movie and stray from the regular Kurosawa-film conventions. This movie takes place in modern-day Japan (when the film was made), as opposed to Japan's feudal period (c. 13th century–17th century). Therefore there are no samurai or sweeping battle scenes, which Kurosawa is probably most known for to American audiences. Also, Toshiro Mifune does not appear in this film as he does in so many other well known Kurosawa films. Image File history File links Ikiruscreenshot. ... Image File history File links Ikiruscreenshot. ... Takashi Shimura (志村 喬 Shimura Takashi, 12 March 1905 - 11 February 1982) is one of the great Japanese actors of the last century. ... Roland pledges his fealty to Charlemagne; from a manuscript of a chanson de geste. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Japanese samurai in armour, 1860s. ... Toshiro Mifune in Yojimbo Toshiro Mifune (三船 敏郎 Mifune Toshirō) (April 1, 1920 - December 24, 1997) was a popular Japanese actor who appeared in almost 170 feature films. ...

External links

• Ikiru at The Internet Movie Database
• Bohème Magazine Ikiru: The Art of Living
• Ikiru (To Live) at the Arts & Faith Top100 Spiritually Significant Films list
• Donald Richie essay at criterionco.com

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) [1] is an online database of information about actors, movies, television shows, television stars and video games. ...