Takashi Shimura: An American Cinematheque Retrospective

The AC pays tribute to one of the most prolific and influential actors of Japan’s rich cinema history: Takashi Shimura. Appearing in nearly 300 films and television shows from the earliest days of the sound era to the early 1980s, Shimura excelled for decades as both a charismatic leading man and a devoted character actor. Demonstrating a seemingly limitless range, Shimura took on a wide variety of roles throughout his career, from the titular alcoholic doctor in DRUNKEN ANGEL, to the frail dying bureaucrat in IKIRU, to the fierce leader in SEVEN SAMURAI.

After a brief career in theatre and radio plays, Shimura made his screen acting debut in the early 1930s, leading to his first significant role as an inspector in Kenji Mizoguchi’s OSAKA ELEGY (1936). Shimura and Mizoguchi went on to collaborate once more in the 1952 THE LIFE OF OHARU, but it was Akira Kurosawa who developed the strongest bond with the versatile actor, casting him in 23 of his 33 films between 1943 and 1980. Our series highlights some of Shimura’s most memorable roles (often acting opposite of his close off-screen friend Toshiro Mifune) in these collaborations, including DRUNKEN ANGEL (1948), THE QUIET DUEL (1949), STRAY DOG (1949), SCANDAL (1950), RASHOMON (1950), IKIRU (1952), SEVEN SAMURAI (1954), I LIVE IN FEAR (1955), THRONE OF BLOOD (1957), THE HIDDEN FORTRESS (1958), and HIGH AND LOW (1963).

Shimura’s broad filmography also includes outstanding performances in Ishirō Honda’s groundbreaking original GODZILLA (1954) as well as the key kaiju sequels, GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN (1955) and GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964), Masaki Kobayashi’s haunting anthology film KWAIDAN (1965), and the memorable samurai sequel ZATOICHI AND THE FUGITIVES (1968), each of which screen in this 18 film retrospective.