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Poster for Red Beard

Red Beard

Seen it?

1965 | 185 min | Drama

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

It earned strong reviews (75% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences rate it highly (8.2 out of 10). A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. If you loved Insomnia, start here.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Unhurried and epic, at 3 hr 5 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated R: meant for adults.
  • It's long: 3 hr 5 min.
  • It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Made in 1965: an older pace and style.

Aspiring to an easy job as personal physician to a wealthy family, Noboru Yasumoto is disappointed when his first post after medical school takes him to a small country clinic under the gruff doctor Red Beard. Yasumoto rebels in numerous ways, but Red Beard proves a wise and patient teacher. He gradually introduces his student to the unglamorous side of the profession, ultimately assigning him to care for a prostitute rescued from a local brothel.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    75% on Rotten Tomatoes, 90 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    8.2 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    Won 1 Venice award: Venice International Film Festival Awards: Volpi Cup for Best Actor. Also nominated for 1 Golden Globe and 1 more Venice award. Plus 9 other awards.

  • Box office & staying powerSolid

    $1 million worldwide on a $650K budget; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 66K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Akira Kurosawa

  • Toshirō MifuneDr. Kyojio Niide ("Red Beard")
  • Yūzō KayamaDr. Noboru Yasumoto
  • Tsutomu YamazakiSahachi
  • Reiko DanOsugi
  • Miyuki KuwanoOnaka
  • Kyōko KagawaMadwoman ("The Mantis")
  • Tatsuyoshi EharaGenzô Tsugawa
  • Terumi NikiOtoyo
  • Akemi NegishiOkuni
  • Yoshitaka ZushiChobo