By Paco McCullough
It's summer in post-war Japan. Young cop Murakami (Toshiro Mifune) has his pocket-picked, with the criminal stealing Murakami's gun. Murakami is determined to find the gun before it is used in a crime, and begins prowling Japan's underworld. One of the first Japanese film noir's I've ever seen, Stray Dog owes a debt to the hardboiled stories coming out of Hollywood at the same time, yet retains a strictly Japanese feel. It certainly feels like a forerunner to the Japanese gangster cinema of the 60s and 70s.
This being an Akira Kurosawa film, however, it is not content to stay within the boundries of genre. Where most noir pictures prefer to focus on the seedy criminal underworld, backstabbing, betrayal, and the femme fetale, Kurosawa focuses primarily on the motivation behind the characters. Sure, the seedy underbelly of the city plays a major part in the story, but the focus is on the motivation behind the characters. What drives a criminal to commit crimes, particularly violent ones? Is whatever happened to them enough of an excuse? Is there ever any hope for rehabilitation? As Murakami's partner says, "Once is a stray dog. More than that is a rabid dog that needs to be put down." (Paraphrased)
The cinematography is quite beautiful, especially when one considers the limited resources that Japanese film must have had during the post-war 40s. Kurosawa's insane attention to detail is always present, while maintaining an air of tension that viewers today will still experience. Some people I know don't like the classic Japanese style of acting, which to the modern viewer feels labored and overacted. However, it is part of the culture of the time, and doesn't detract from the overall film unless you're really picky.
Fans of Kurosawa should definitely check this one out. I haven't seen a bad film made by the man, and this is a great early film for both him and Toshiro Mifune. It's nice to see Kurosawa do tragic drama that isn't as bleak as Ikiru or Ran. This is a movie that will make you think without bumming you out too much. Simply put, Stray Dog is a true classic.
5 out of 5 stars
More Akira Kurosawa at Cinemecca:
The Quiet Duel (1949)
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