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Ikiru (1952)

NOT_RATED 143 min  -  Drama  -   25 March 1956 (USA)
8.4
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Ratings: 8.4/10 from 22,107 users  
Reviews: 127 user | 74 critic

A bureaucrat tries to find a meaning in his life after he discovers he has terminal cancer.

Director:

Akira Kurosawa
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Top 250 #133 | Nominated for BAFTA Film Award. Another 5 wins See more awards »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Takashi Shimura ...
Shin'ichi Himori Shin'ichi Himori ...
Haruo Tanaka Haruo Tanaka ...
Sakai
Minoru Chiaki Minoru Chiaki ...
Noguchi
Miki Odagiri Miki Odagiri ...
Toyo Odagiri, employee
Bokuzen Hidari Bokuzen Hidari ...
Ohara
Minosuke Yamada Minosuke Yamada ...
Subordinate Clerk Saito
Kamatari Fujiwara Kamatari Fujiwara ...
Sub-Section Chief Ono
Makoto Kobori Makoto Kobori ...
Kiichi Watanabe, Kanji's Brother
Nobuo Kaneko Nobuo Kaneko ...
Mitsuo Watanabe, Kanji's son
Nobuo Nakamura Nobuo Nakamura ...
Deputy Mayor
Atsushi Watanabe Atsushi Watanabe ...
Patient
Isao Kimura Isao Kimura ...
Intern
Masao Shimizu Masao Shimizu ...
Doctor
Yûnosuke Itô Yûnosuke Itô ...
Novelist
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Storyline

Kanji Watanabe is a longtime bureaucrat in a city office who, along with the rest of the office, spends his entire working life doing nothing. He learns he is dying of cancer and wants to find some meaning in his life. He finds himself unable to talk with his family, and spends a night on the town with a novelist, but that leaves him unfulfilled. He next spends time with a young woman from his office, but finally decides he can make a difference through his job... After Watanabe's death, co-workers at his funeral discuss his behavior over the last several months and debate why he suddenly became assertive in his job to promote a city park, and resolve to be more like Watanabe. Written by Mike Rosenlof <mrosenlof@qualcomm.com>  

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Office | Dying | Cancer | Death | Park  | See more »

Genres:

Drama

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese | English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Doomed See more »

Filming Locations:

Japan

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$7,590 (USA) (5 January 2003) (1 Screen)

Gross:

$55,240 (USA) (28 September 2003)
See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Company See more »
Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

 | Sweden: (cut version)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Hideo Oguni, one of the three main writers, originally envisioned Takashi Shimura's character as being a yakuza (gangster) as opposed to a government bureaucrat. See more »

Goofs

Continuity: In the last scene with Toyo (in the restaurant with the birthday party going on), the position of the bell on the mechanical bunny changes, even though neither actor has touched the bunny. See more »

Quotes

Kanji: I can't afford to hate people. I don't have that kind of time.
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Connections

Referenced in Little Children (2006) See more »

Soundtracks

"Gondora no uta"
(uncredited)
Music by Shinpei Nakayama
Words by Isamu Yoshii See more »