The Bad Sleep Well
Seen it?1960 | 150 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had a box office loss. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans and anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved Mildred Pierce or Glengarry Glen Ross, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense, dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Unhurried and epic, at 2 hr 30 min.
- What might put you off
- It's long: 2 hr 30 min.
- It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Made in 1960: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
In this loose adaptation of "Hamlet," illegitimate son Kôichi Nishi climbs to a high position within a Japanese corporation and marries the crippled daughter of company vice president Iwabuchi. At the reception, the wedding cake is a replica of their corporate headquarters, but an aspect of the design reminds the party of the hushed-up death of Nishi's father. It is then that Nishi unleashes his plan to avenge his father's death.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.7 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$144K worldwide on a $229K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 57K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Akira Kurosawa
- Toshirō MifuneKôichi Nishi
- Masayuki MoriPublic Corporation Vice President Iwabuchi
- Kamatari FujiwaraAssistant-to-the-Chief Wada
- Takeshi KatōItakura
- Kyōko KagawaYoshiko Nishi
- Tatsuya MihashiTatsuo Iwabuchi
- Takashi ShimuraAdministrative Officer Moriyama
- Kō NishimuraContract Officer Shirai
- Kyū SazankaConstruction Company Executive Director Kaneko
- Someshō MatsumotoConstruction Company President Hatano