Squid Flicks: Ikiru

Title: Ikiru

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Original Release: October 9, 1952

My Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

via Wikipedia

Kanji Watanabe is a government bureaucrat.  One day, he discovers (or correctly guesses) that he has terminal stomach cancer and only has a few months to live.  Inspired by a cheerful young colleague, he turns his life around.  Trapped in a career of aimless drudgery, he devotes his final days to championing the construction of a new public park.

Many critics, including Roger Ebert, have named Ikiru as Kurosawa's greatest masterpiece, a distinction which automatically places it on a short list of the best films ever made.  The story was inspired in part by Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Illych.  Watanabe is performed by Takashi Shimura who appeared in 21 of Kurosawa's 30 movies, more than any other actor.  Shimura played the very different Kambei Shimada, the leader of the Seven Samurai, if you want a sense of his range.  The director's cinematographic genius shines throughout.  In Ikiru, I was particularly aware of his shots of characters (usually Watanabe) in silhouette against the sky.

The pacing is on the slow side at times but it's nearly impossible not to feel moved by the story by the end.  It is the most universal tale of all: the search for meaning in life.  Is it Kurosawa's best?  For me, it's hard to put anything above Seven Samurai but it's a bit like picking among Shakespeare plays.  They're all works of genius.