Sō Yamamura

Sō Yamamura

Born: February 24, 1910
Died: May 26, 2000
in Tenri, Japan
Sō Yamamura (山村聰, Yamamura Sō, 24 February 1910 – 26 May 2000) was a Japanese actor and film director. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1947 and 1991, and directed four films. He was also known by the name Satoshi Yamamura, while his actual birth name is Koga Hirosada. In the US, he is well known for his portrayals of Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto of the Combined Fleet, in Tora! Tora! Tora!, and of Mr. Sakamoto, the CEO of Assan Motors in Gung Ho.

Movies for Sō Yamamura...

Tokugawa Ieyasu: The Conqueror of Japan
Title: Tokugawa Ieyasu: The Conqueror of Japan
Released: January 3, 1992
Type: Movie
The life story of Japan’s greatest leader, Tokugawa Ieyasu, whose shogunate ruled the nation for almost 300 years has never been told like this before. From the early days as a supporter of Imagawa Yoshimoto, then on to his days with Oda Nobunaga, leading to his wars against and ultimate victory over the Toyotomi to become shogun is a fascinating tale of his military genius coupled with a native intelligence that allowed him to become the last of the great warlords and ultimately the leader of the nation. With great performances from an all-star cast featuring names like Kitaoji Kinya and Takahashi Hideki this is history come to life on the screen.
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Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
Title: Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah
Character: Prime Minister
Released: December 14, 1991
Type: Movie
The Futurians, time-travelers from the 23rd century, arrive in Japan to warn them of the nation's destruction under Godzilla. They offer to help erase Godzilla from history by preventing his creation. With Godzilla seemingly gone, a new monster emerges as the Futurians' true intentions are revealed.
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Tange Sazen
Title: Tange Sazen
Released: August 16, 1990
Type: Movie
One of Japan's favorite sword stars, Fujita Makoto, returns as the legendary Tange Sazen, the one-eyed, one-armed samurai who is a champion for the common people. Unflappable, except with the ladies, he fights evil in Shogun Yoshimune's Edo. The kokezaru no tsubo (earless monkey jar) has gone missing with a secret hidden inside that could change the course of history. All of Edo's top swordsmen, including Yagyu Genzaburo and Ooka Echizen are involved as villains pursue their evil quest! Superb swordplay highlights this exciting all-star extravaganza!
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Nemuri Kyōshirō
Title: Nemuri Kyōshirō
Released: April 22, 1989
Type: Movie
Kyoshiro rescues Shizu who was being abused by her husband, even since she had been violated by the man posing as Ieyoshi. He then learned that Ieyoshi had been acting oddly ever since returning from Kyoto six months ago. Sir Fumiya's investigation of the O'oku (Shogun's harem in Edo Castle) uncovered the plot and reported that Sir Higo-no-Kami had been controlling the fraud. That's when Kyoshiro heads to Kyoto to find clues...
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Gung Ho
Title: Gung Ho
Character: Mr. Sakamoto
Released: March 14, 1986
Type: Movie
When a western Pennsylvania auto plant is acquired by a Japanese company, brokering auto worker Hunt Stevenson faces the tricky challenge of mediating the assimilation of two clashing corporate cultures. At one end is the Japanese plant manager and the sycophant who is angling for his position. At the other, a number of disgruntled long-time union members struggle with the new exigencies of Japanese quality control.
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The Second Is a Christian
Title: The Second Is a Christian
Character: Nakatsugawa
Released: September 14, 1985
Type: Movie
The story of beautiful Christian nun, Kyoko who is the object of affection for two very different men - one the happy-go-lucky yakuza gangster, Haruhiko who is the next-in-line to takeover the ragtag "Tenryu Gumi" gang and the other bumbling police detective Kumashiro. The Tenryu Gumi is a collection of misfits and other troublemakers but are relatively peaceful due to their Christian beliefs. Their bitter rivals are the more traditional "Kuroiwa Gumi", a much more sadistic and violent group led by godfather Kuroiwa.
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Kanei Command Performance
Title: Kanei Command Performance
Released: August 5, 1983
Type: Movie
During the reign of Shogun Iemitsu, a great martial arts tournament was held to determine whether or not Iemitsu was to remain in power or cede it to his uncle, Yornobu, the 10th son of Ieyasu. Among the contestants were many expert swordsmen who have become well-known to this day. Warriors such as Yagyu Jubei (Kaga Takeshi), and Miyamoto Musashi (Matsukata Hiroki) headed up the slate. This was to be the all-star samurai match of the century. An amazing TV movie with non-stop action as Yagyu Jubei must save an emissary of the Ming and reach Edo in time to fight the crucial match.
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Antarctica
Title: Antarctica
Character: Iwakiri Sencho
Released: July 23, 1983
Type: Movie
Two Japanese scientists, Ushioda and Ochi, develop a bond with their sled dogs while on an expedition in Antarctica.
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The Mysterious Gemini • Y&S
Title: The Mysterious Gemini • Y&S
Released: December 11, 1982
Type: Movie
Youth suspense movie.
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Title: Yagyu Jubei Secret Quest
Character: Yagyu Munenori
Released: October 19, 1982
Type: TV
The sequel to The Yagyu Conspiracy picks up when Yagyu Jubei (Sonny Chiba) has a falling out with the Shogun, and sets out on his own as a wanted man. Featuring the martial art skills of Sue Shiomi (Sister Streetfighter) as she is on official patrol with Jubei watching over her, making sure that he gets to fight in each episode as well. This is one of the best and most exciting television series to ever hit the airwaves.
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Title: ザ・ハングマン
Released: November 14, 1980
Type: TV
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Title: Yagyu's Secret Quest
Character: Yagyu Munenori
Released: October 14, 1980
Type: TV
Yagyu Abaretabi is the tale of members of the Yagyu Clan and their travels all around the nation seeking to fight injustice and corruption... and there are plenty of surprises along the way.
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Shadow Warriors: Hattori Hanzo
Title: Shadow Warriors: Hattori Hanzo
Character: Masayuki Hoshina
Released: February 23, 1980
Type: Movie
The tale takes place around 1650, after the death of the third Tokugawa shogun, when ronin were expelled from Edo, the military capital. During the political instability following the death of Iemitsu Tokugawa, Hanzo's Iga ninja clan battles against the Koga clan as various factions vie to seize power. The child shogun Ietsuna is kidnapped but turns out to be hidden under (or over) everyone's noses in a castle turret which is reinforced by a comic book villain, the fire-spitting black ninja. The good ninja has to get through all the traps & save the child.
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Title: Pearl
Character: Admiral Nagumo, commander of Japanese attack force (uncredited)
Released: November 16, 1978
Type: TV
Miniseries about the events leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
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Title: The Yagyu Conspiracy
Character: Yagyu Munenori
Released: October 3, 1978
Type: TV
It takes place at the time of the Shogunate rule with Shogun Hidetada and who will succeed Hidetada. A struggle for power between the family and the daimyos. Historically the Yagyu's have always been close to the Shogunate, and helped...
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Dog Whistle
Title: Dog Whistle
Released: March 31, 1978
Type: Movie
In this crime thriller produced by Toshiro Mifune (who has a supporting role), hard-boiled Shiro Akitsu goes on a relentless search for his abducted 7-year old daughter, with the aid of an Ainu dog summoned by a whistle she gave him.
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Title: Ningen no Shōmei
Released: January 7, 1978
Type: TV
TV series produced by MBS and TOEI, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Seiichi Morimura.
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Main Line to Terror
Title: Main Line to Terror
Released: November 6, 1975
Type: Movie
Akiyama is an intern, disgusted with the noise pollution caused by the bullet trains and the heart attacks that noise has been causing in older hospital patients, plots to disrupt and, in ten days, destroy a unit of the operation. He warns the Japan National Railway, that, if nothing is done to reduce the noise, he will derail a bullet train. Takigawa is the police detective sent to stop him.
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Prophecies of Nostradamus
Title: Prophecies of Nostradamus
Character: Prime Minister Kuroki
Released: July 13, 1974
Type: Movie
Professor Nishiyama, after studying and interpreting the prophecies of Nostradamus, realizes that the end of the world is at hand. Unfortunately, nobody listens to him until it is too late. As the effects of mankind's tampering of the earth - radioactive smog clouds, hideously mutated animals, destruction of the ozone layer - rage out of control, the world leaders hurtle blindly toward the final confrontation. The film sparked controversy in Japan and was subsequently pulled out of circulation, with no official video release of the uncut film.
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Professional Killers – Assignment by Night
Title: Professional Killers – Assignment by Night
Character: Hanemon(Otowaya)
Released: February 16, 1974
Type: Movie
Three assassins take on a band of thieves who specialize in murder.
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Professional Killers – Assassin's Quarry
Title: Professional Killers – Assassin's Quarry
Character: Hanemon(Otowaya)
Released: September 29, 1973
Type: Movie
An assassin is mistaken for a doctor and threatened by a band of masterless warriors, but they realize their mistake and retreat into the darkness. Days later, he is asked to kill the doctor's brother. What secrets are these men hiding?
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Professional Killers
Title: Professional Killers
Character: Hanemon(Otowaya)
Released: June 9, 1973
Type: Movie
Two assassins are hired to carry out a hit on the second wife of a candle merchant, but someone is watching...
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Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril
Title: Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril
Character: Gômune Jindaiyu
Released: December 30, 1972
Type: Movie
In the fourth film of the Lone Wolf and Cub series, Ogami Itto is hired to kill a tattooed female assassin and battles Retsudo, head of the Yagyu clan, and his son Gunbei.
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Title: Professional Killers
Character: Hanemon Otowaya
Released: September 2, 1972
Type: TV
A shikakenin was an under-the-cover trade that undertook killing in Edo. Hanemon of Otowa, an agency that introduced laborers and maids, was also one of these. Katsugoro Iseya was a timber dealer who had come in as a client. His target was the constructions magistrate Hanno, and the Tatsumiya who sipped on the benefits. Hanemon who had a stong code towards killing, where he would only kill those who do no good to be in the world, accepts this request. Baian Fujieda, a needle doctor would carry out the killing. However, the professional killer Baian fails to bring down Tatsumiya. Hanemon then looks to another shikakenin, the ronin Sanai Nishimura for the role. Although Sanai's ability with the sword is good, he lives poorly in a tenement, and accepts this commission on the condition that it is kept a secret from his wife and child. Here, they close in on Hanno and Tatsumiya again...
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Title: Haru no Sakamichi
Character: Tokugawa Ieyasu
Released: January 3, 1971
Type: TV
The story chronicles the life of Yagyū Munenori.
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The Militarists
Title: The Militarists
Character: Mitsumasa Yonai
Released: September 11, 1970
Type: Movie
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Tora! Tora! Tora!
Title: Tora! Tora! Tora!
Character: Vice-Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
Released: January 26, 1970
Type: Movie
In the summer of 1941, the United States and Japan seem on the brink of war after constant embargos and failed diplomacy come to no end. "Tora! Tora! Tora!", named after the code words use by the lead Japanese pilot to indicate they had surprised the Americans, covers the days leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor, which plunged America into the Second World War.
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Japan's Longest Day
Title: Japan's Longest Day
Character: Navy Minister Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai
Released: August 12, 1967
Type: Movie
Following the detonation of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese military and the government clash over the demand from the Allies for unconditional surrender. Minister of the Army Anami leads the military officers who propose to fight on, even to the death of every Japanese citizen. Emperor Hirohito, however, joins with his ministers in asking the unthinkable, the peaceful surrender of Japan. When the military plots a coup to overthrow the Emperor's civilian government, Anami must face the choice between his desires and loyalty to his Emperor.
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The Retreat from Kiska
Title: The Retreat from Kiska
Character: Kawashima
Released: July 4, 1965
Type: Movie
In 1943, the Aleutian island of Kiska was fortified by a small contingent of Japanese soldiers. When word arrived of an impending attack by an overwhelming force of Americans, the Japanese Navy attempted one of the most daring and unlikely evacuations in military history. This is that story.
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With Beauty and Sorrow
Title: With Beauty and Sorrow
Character: Toshio Ôki
Released: February 28, 1965
Type: Movie
When the man who seduced the famous painter Otoko as a teenager--and then wrote a bestselling novel about it--reappears in her life, her pupil--and lesbian lover--hatches a plot to destroy the man and his family.
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The School of Flesh
Title: The School of Flesh
Released: February 14, 1965
Type: Movie
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A Public Benefactor
Title: A Public Benefactor
Character: Kappei Arima
Released: April 4, 1964
Type: Movie
The intense selfishness of a man brings him fame and fortune but not happiness.
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Gang Loyalty and Vengeance
Title: Gang Loyalty and Vengeance
Character: Tachibana
Released: October 20, 1963
Type: Movie
A modern gang version of Chushingura, chronicling almost scene for scene the Brave 47 Ronin story, transposed from the Genroku Period to the Showa Era.
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Shinobi no Mono 2: Vengeance
Title: Shinobi no Mono 2: Vengeance
Released: August 6, 1963
Type: Movie
[Period covered: 1582-1594]. As the film opens, the warlod Nobunaga Oda rides to Iga Ayanokuni shrine. He is asked if he thinks he has destroyed all the ninja who opposed him and answers that he suspects that there may be more. A servant brings water and tests it first. The paige dies and we hear gunshots as two ninja flee the scene. His suspicions confirmed, Nobunaga oversees the execution of captured ninja and decides that, in the future, he needs a much crueler method of execution. The daimyo Hideyoshi comes to visit.
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Born in Sin
Title: Born in Sin
Released: November 23, 1962
Type: Movie
A dark family secret sends a 21-year-old French student (Hoshi) on a journey of self-discovery.
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Diary of a Mad Old Man
Title: Diary of a Mad Old Man
Character: Tokusuke Rôjin
Released: October 20, 1962
Type: Movie
Utsugi, a seventy-seven-year-old man of refined tastes who is recovering from a stroke, discovers that, while his body is decaying, his libido still rages on -- unwittingly sparked by the gentle, kindly attentions of his daughter-in-law Satsuko, a chic, flashy dancer with a shady past. Pitiful and ridiculous as he is, Utsugi is without a trace of self-pity, and his diary shines with self-effacing good humor.
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A Flame at the Pier
Title: A Flame at the Pier
Released: September 30, 1962
Type: Movie
A young dockworker who owes his life to his boss becomes embroiled in union activity on the Yokohama waterfront. The rebel Saburo works as an errand boy for a shipping company and vents his frustrations by plucking on the guitar.
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Records of loyal vassals
Title: Records of loyal vassals
Released: September 9, 1962
Type: Movie
In the 15th year of the Genroku era (1688), the world praised the 47 ronin who avenged the death of their master Asano Takumi-no-kami. Shogun Tsunayoshi, who ruled at that time, experienced difficulties in what punishment to impose on the soldiers. As a result, it was decided to sentence them to seppuk (ritual suicide).
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Glory on the Summit
Title: Glory on the Summit
Released: July 29, 1962
Type: Movie
A treasury official passed over for promotion and obsessed with careerism interferes in the lives of his three sons, who seek escape from his relentless pressure in the mortal danger of mountain climbing.
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Star of Hong Kong
Title: Star of Hong Kong
Character: Gentaro Sugimoto
Released: July 14, 1962
Type: Movie
Wang Xinglian returns from her studies in Japan to visit her father in Hong Kong where she has an encounter with the young Japanese Hasegawa Toru. The two meet again and fall in love in Hokkaido when Wang and her best friend Sugimoto Kanako are going on a holiday. Urged by her friend Zhang Yingming to concentrate on her studies, Wang remains ambivalent about the relationship, and is even more upset to realise that Sugimoto is in love with her fellow countryman. Feigning an engagement with Zhang, Wang initiates a break-up with Hasegawa and finds work in Singapore after graduation. Hasegawa learns the real cause of the break-up from Sugimoto in Hong Kong. A frenzy search finally leads to a reunion and a proposal in Kuala Lumpur. However, their love is doomed by a twist of fate as Wang must leave to see her desperately ill father in Hong Kong while Hasegawa has to leave for America to pursue his career.
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Akitsu Hot Springs
Title: Akitsu Hot Springs
Released: June 15, 1962
Type: Movie
Yoshida’s first big-budget production and colour film is a haunting tale of unrequited love and postwar disillusion. The story of the fatal attraction between a spineless intellectual and a strong woman is conventional, but its enactment is radically new.
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Ano sura no hate ni hoshi hama tataku
Title: Ano sura no hate ni hoshi hama tataku
Released: May 20, 1962
Type: Movie
1962 Japanese movie
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The Pacific War and Himeyuri Corps
Title: The Pacific War and Himeyuri Corps
Character: Taiwan Army Chief of Staff
Released: April 7, 1962
Type: Movie
The last fight put up by remaining forces and a special volunteer nursing corps in 1944-5.
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Musume to watashi
Title: Musume to watashi
Released: April 1, 1962
Type: Movie
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The Inheritance
Title: The Inheritance
Character: Senzô
Released: February 16, 1962
Type: Movie
On his deathbed, a wealthy businessman announces that his fortune is to be split equally among his three illegitimate children, whose whereabouts are unknown to his family and colleagues. A bevy of lawyers and associates scheme to procure the money for themselves, enlisting the aid of impostors and blackmail.
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Drunkard's Paradise
Title: Drunkard's Paradise
Released: February 4, 1962
Type: Movie
A father and son are both heavy drinkers. However, the son dies in an accident at a bar, leaving behind a fiance…. A unique social satire that focuses on why people drink alcohol.
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Yume de aritai
Title: Yume de aritai
Released: January 14, 1962
Type: Movie
1962 Japanese movie
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Their Legacy
Title: Their Legacy
Released: January 3, 1962
Type: Movie
Heitaro, who had served his firm loyally for 30 years, reaches the retirement age. He has four unmarried daughters and decides to split his retirement allowance he has received from his firm into 500,000 yen for each daughter as a wedding dowry. He considers them all old enough to handle the money, and gives them a free hand to use it as they wish.
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A Roaring Trade
Title: A Roaring Trade
Released: January 3, 1962
Type: Movie
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Love's Family Tree
Title: Love's Family Tree
Released: November 22, 1961
Type: Movie
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The Last War
Title: The Last War
Character: Prime Minister Masaki
Released: October 8, 1961
Type: Movie
A Japanese family is torn apart by the tensions of an avoidable nuclear world war between the superpowers.
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The Man Who Challenged 8,000,000-Koku
Title: The Man Who Challenged 8,000,000-Koku
Character: Councilor Matsudaira Izu
Released: September 13, 1961
Type: Movie
A story of an orphan boy who wanted the love of parents so badly, another orphan sincerely pitied him to the point he gives his secret birthright as an illegitimate son to a Shogun as a "gift of hope" to the sad boy. As the orphan boy grew up, his loving heart became bitter and he saw the opportunity to take advantage of this birthright with the help of a man who wanted to use this orphan's desire to be loved, for seizing power in the shogunate by using the imposter. Many obstacles to hurdle along the way of deception, however, will they succeed or will he be exposed?
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Haitoku no mesu
Title: Haitoku no mesu
Character: Naoyuki Nishizawa
Released: August 6, 1961
Type: Movie
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A Geisha's Diary
Title: A Geisha's Diary
Character: Kiyomasa Tsutsui
Released: July 28, 1961
Type: Movie
A young girl is rigorously trained in the feminine arts so that she can become a geisha. As she struggles through life, she learns to live not just as a woman but as a complete person.
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The Estuary
Title: The Estuary
Released: July 26, 1961
Type: Movie
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The Orphan Brother
Title: The Orphan Brother
Character: Fujiwara No Morozane (voice)
Released: July 19, 1961
Type: Movie
After their father quarrels with local military men, Anju and Zushio are forced to flee, but they are captured and sold into slavery. When their mother dies, they are sold to Sansho the Bailiff, a cruel man who subjects them to hideous torments. While Anju falls into a lake and is transformed into a swan, Zushio escapes and after being adopted to a nobleman grows to a young man. He will then fight to defeat the evil Dayu and free all the slaves.
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An Eagle Eyed Lord
Title: An Eagle Eyed Lord
Released: June 21, 1961
Type: Movie
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Epitaph to My Love
Title: Epitaph to My Love
Character: Kimura
Released: May 16, 1961
Type: Movie
Ishihara Kiyoshi plans to marry the woman he loves, Chiee, a coffee shop girl. After an accident, Chiee loses her memory. A romance movie whose original work by Ayako Sono was made into a melodrama by a combination of Shinoda Masahiro and Terayama Shuji.
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五人の突撃隊
Title: 五人の突撃隊
Released: April 26, 1961
Type: Movie
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Samurai Hawk
Title: Samurai Hawk
Released: March 5, 1961
Type: Movie
1716, Yoshimune becomes the 8th Shogun as high Shogunate officials are attacked. While the government tries to keep these incidents under wraps, they must take any means possible to get to the bottom of this mystery and find out who is behind them.
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Women of Tokyo
Title: Women of Tokyo
Character: Shoichi Kagami
Released: March 1, 1961
Type: Movie
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The Harbor Lights
Title: The Harbor Lights
Released: February 26, 1961
Type: Movie
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Hell's Juggler
Title: Hell's Juggler
Released: January 15, 1961
Type: Movie
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The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4
Title: The Prickly Mouthed Geisha, Part 4
Released: January 9, 1961
Type: Movie
A comedy of a high-spirited geisha, Koharu, who is at risk of being trapped in a conspiracy to take over a lucrative diamond mine business.
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Deep River Melody
Title: Deep River Melody
Released: September 13, 1960
Type: Movie
A poignant story about a young couple, Setsu and Chozo, who are torn apart to save Setsu's father's restaurant.
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The Sand City in Manchuria
Title: The Sand City in Manchuria
Character: Ishigami
Released: August 24, 1960
Type: Movie
When the plague threatens a small town in Manchuria, a young doctor finds himself struggling to save the lives of his townspeople.
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Life of a Country Doctor
Title: Life of a Country Doctor
Released: August 14, 1960
Type: Movie
A skilled country doctor's talents are such that he can even perform operations as difficult and novel as removing a patient's kidney for the first time in Japan. Unfortunately for him, however, his wife's addiction to gambling is of such a magnitude that he is down to selling his underwear to make money. The image sticks and he becomes known as the 'underwear doctor.' On the other hand, his successful surgery's patient is so grateful he himself wants to become a physician.
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Ninja Assassins
Title: Ninja Assassins
Released: June 29, 1960
Type: Movie
Saotome Mondonosuke pursues the culprit who placed a malicious curse upon Shogun Tsunekichi.
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Police Precinct Part 14
Title: Police Precinct Part 14
Character: Maruyama
Released: June 21, 1960
Type: Movie
An elderly woman, Ume Matsumoto, complained to the First Investigation Department that her son Hirasaka, who runs a shoe store, had disappeared. The ominous foreboding of the First Investigation Department hit the mark, it turned out that the discovered unidentified body of the drowned man was Hirasaka. Moreover, the land in front of the station, owned by Hirasaka, was sold by someone. Suspecting that this is a planned murder, the Investigative Group, fearing the escape of the criminal, begins to act secretly, without creating an investigation headquarters.
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Victory and Defeat
Title: Victory and Defeat
Character: Kimpei Minegishi
Released: April 27, 1960
Type: Movie
After the boxing champion retires, the head of a powerful gym, Minegishi (So Yamamura), recommends Yamanaka (Hiroshi Kawaguchi), who is no longer in top form and is ranked number one, for a title fight, but his comrade Hata (Kojiro Hongo) is not happy with this choice, and so he moves to the gym run by the criminal businessman Goda (Toru Abe) and burning desire to beat Yamanaka.
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The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2
Title: The Prickly Mouthed Geisha Part 2
Released: March 1, 1960
Type: Movie
Young geisha Kohana scrambles to realize her dream of bringing back her grandmother’s restaurant business.
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Across the Darkness
Title: Across the Darkness
Character: Takazawa
Released: December 1, 1959
Type: Movie
A journalist decides to do his own investigation after a series of strange murders are committed during a local election campaign.
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Sudden Attack of the Christian Lord
Title: Sudden Attack of the Christian Lord
Released: July 12, 1959
Type: Movie
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Hell's Companion
Title: Hell's Companion
Released: June 1, 1959
Type: Movie
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Hahakogusa
Title: Hahakogusa
Character: Mr. Fujiki
Released: April 22, 1959
Type: Movie
Based on the Nobu Koito story
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Magistrate Toyama 3: The Whirlwind Magistrate
Title: Magistrate Toyama 3: The Whirlwind Magistrate
Released: March 10, 1959
Type: Movie
One of the most popular history-based characters is back when Magistrate Saemonojo Toyama no Kinsan investigates the tragic shipwreck of the 'Sadomaru' near Cape Kasumigaseki. The ship carrying gold bars from Sado Island to Edo for the shogunate disappeared into the ocean on a day with clear skies and no wind. While it is conveniently blamed on a surprise tornado or whirlwind, the Sado Magistrate asks his lifelong friend Magistrate Toyama to get to the root of the mystery in order to save his reputation and avoid a life of shame.
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Men in a Rough Town
Title: Men in a Rough Town
Released: January 28, 1959
Type: Movie
An action-packed, dramatic gangster film.
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The 47 Masterless Samurai
Title: The 47 Masterless Samurai
Released: January 15, 1959
Type: Movie
While the story of the Ako Clan's vendetta has been told countless times, never before has there been an array of major motion picture stars to bring new life to this timeless tale. Starting with the corrup practices of Lord Kira and Yanagi-sawa, the Shogun's Secretary, which in essence led to the incident of Lord Asano's attacking Kira in the Pine Corridor of the Shogun's Palace, this is the definitive version. Asano Takumi no kami was a young lord with high scruples, who refused to join in the general corruption and bribery which ran rampant in the capital at that time. By not giving bribes, he angered Kira Kozuke no suke the elder lord in charge of protocol at the Palace. Refusing to teach the younger man, and giving him false instructions was only the beginning. Insults followed, and a man of honor had no choice but to draw his sword in anger. Forty seven masterless samurai are willing to give their lives to avenge their lord.
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The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
Title: The Human Condition I: No Greater Love
Character: Okishima
Released: January 15, 1959
Type: Movie
After handing in a report on the treatment of Chinese colonial labor, Kaji is offered the post of labor chief at a large mining operation in Manchuria, which also grants him exemption from military service. He accepts, and moves to Manchuria with his newly-wed wife Michiko, but when he tries to put his ideas of more humane treatment into practice, he finds himself at odds with scheming officials, cruel foremen, and the military police.
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Shingo's Original Challenge, Part 1 and 2
Title: Shingo's Original Challenge, Part 1 and 2
Released: January 1, 1959
Type: Movie
These are the first two parts of the popular series in which a young samurai learns that he is the illegitimate son of the Shogun. Hoping to reunite with his birth father, Shogun Yoshimune, he heads for the castle.
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Sister with Sister
Title: Sister with Sister
Character: Michisuke Nishikata
Released: December 9, 1958
Type: Movie
Yoshiko finds new life and love interests when she takes a new job as an office worker.
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The Purple Hood
Title: The Purple Hood
Released: October 29, 1958
Type: Movie
Kataoka Chiezo stars as Murasaki Zukin, a mysterious hero of the people who helps those in need. Now under the rule of the evil Tanuma, the people look to Murasaki Zukin more than ever, to confront and punish those who bring misfortune upon the commoners. Will he be able to bring peace to the land? One of the greatest actors from Toei Studios, known mainly for his swashbuckling roles as powerful swordsmen such as Ryunosuke in SOULS IN THE MOONLIGHT, he appeared in 325 films both before and after the war, beginning with CHUSHINGURA in 1928, and including KUNISADA CHUJI in 1933, and DOKUGANRYO MASAMUNE. While best known for his swordplay, Chiezo really did not enjoy the action, but was able to use his menacing presence to stare down his adversaries. Although Kataoka Chiezo passed away in 1983 at the age of 79, he still has many fans today. This film shows him at his best.
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The Barbarian and the Geisha
Title: The Barbarian and the Geisha
Character: Governor Tamura
Released: September 30, 1958
Type: Movie
Townsend Harris is sent by President Pierce to Japan to serve as the first U.S. Consul-General to that country. Harris discovers enormous hostility to foreigners, as well as the love of a young geisha.
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With Songs in My Heart
Title: With Songs in My Heart
Released: September 10, 1958
Type: Movie
Sayuri, a young woman born to a simple life on a farm, moves to Tokyo to pursue a life long dream of becoming a singer. Through dance, music, and songs, this story shows how a girl raised on a farm was able to make her dream a reality, with the love of those around her.
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Detective Duel
Title: Detective Duel
Released: August 6, 1958
Type: Movie
A friendly rivalry turns into romance for Yukiko, an elite female detective, and a handsome private eye named Mitamura while both are investigating the missing person's case from a wealthy family.
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Oban kanketsu hen
Title: Oban kanketsu hen
Released: July 1, 1958
Type: Movie
Ushinosuke returns to Tokyo with new ambitions. Fourth and final part of the film adaptation of Bunroku Shishi’s novel, Oban.
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Little Peach
Title: Little Peach
Character: Heishiro Hirayama, the father
Released: May 13, 1958
Type: Movie
Anzukko (Little Peach) is the daughter of a successful writer. She turns down each one of her suitors, until she marries a beginning writer named Ryokichi. Their life quickly sinks into despair.
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Roar and Earth
Title: Roar and Earth
Released: September 29, 1957
Type: Movie
Roar and Earth
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Hole in One
Title: Hole in One
Character: Keikichi Shirasu
Released: September 15, 1957
Type: Movie
A female reporter is fired for writing about police corruption; to make money while hiding from the press, she posts a bounty upon herself.
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Jigoku bana
Title: Jigoku bana
Released: June 25, 1957
Type: Movie
Period drama based on the novel by Saisei Murō.
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When It Rains, It Pours
Title: When It Rains, It Pours
Released: June 11, 1957
Type: Movie
Tane, the lady proprietor of an inn for amorous couples, lives there with her three children. When her eldest daughter loses her fiancé due to the fact her mother is a mistress, her despair drives her to become a cabaret hostess.
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Tokyo Twilight
Title: Tokyo Twilight
Character: Seki Sekiguchi
Released: April 30, 1957
Type: Movie
Two sisters find out the existence of their long-lost mother, but the younger cannot accept the fact that she was abandoned as a child.
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Night Butterflies
Title: Night Butterflies
Character: Ichiro Shirasawa
Released: April 1, 1957
Type: Movie
A traditional bar mistress in Kyoto clashes with her Tokyo rival.
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Typhoon Over Nagasaki
Title: Typhoon Over Nagasaki
Released: February 6, 1957
Type: Movie
Pierre Marsac, a French engineer working for the Nagasaki shipbuilding yards, has fallen in love both with Japan and a charming Japanese girl named Noriko. But Françoise Fabre, a French journalist and Pierre's former lover, contacts him while visiting the Land of the Rising Sun. They meet again, find out their love might not be dead. Meanwhile, Pierre gradually becomes estranged from sweet, humble Noriko. One day, a typhoon strikes Nagasaki...
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白磁の人
Title: 白磁の人
Released: January 15, 1957
Type: Movie
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Tsukigata Hanpeita
Title: Tsukigata Hanpeita
Character: Katsura Kogoro
Released: October 16, 1956
Type: Movie
During the bloody era of the Tokugawa Shogunate collapse, a man appeared capable of overthrowing a corrupt government and ending the feud between the Choshu and Satsuma clans. This is the story of Tsukigat Khanpayit, the sword maker of the Choshu clan, who, along with Katsuro Kogoro and Sakamoto Ryoma, sought to fulfill the dream of a new peaceful era in Japan. Can he realize his ideals or will he die in the chaos of internecine fights...
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Darkness at Noon
Title: Darkness at Noon
Character: Yuji
Released: March 26, 1956
Type: Movie
Police beat a murder confession out of four innocent men who are then sentenced to death. Based on a true story.
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春のみづうみ
Title: 春のみづうみ
Released: March 11, 1956
Type: Movie
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Early Spring
Title: Early Spring
Character: Yutaka Kawai
Released: January 29, 1956
Type: Movie
A young salary man and his wife struggle within the confines of their passionless relationship while he has an extramarital affair.
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Sara no hana no toge
Title: Sara no hana no toge
Released: October 11, 1955
Type: Movie
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Seven Masks of Revenge
Title: Seven Masks of Revenge
Released: July 12, 1955
Type: Movie
The eighth film in the "master detective with seven faces" series. Bannachi patrols the town in his taxi when he sees a man heading into Shiodome Town. Next day the man is found brutally murdered and the mystery starts to unravel.
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Ai Sureba Koso
Title: Ai Sureba Koso
Character: Gorô (segment 3)
Released: July 5, 1955
Type: Movie
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Till We Meet Again
Title: Till We Meet Again
Character: Daisuke Kaji
Released: May 29, 1955
Type: Movie
Sonejiro sacrifices all comfort to devote himself to research. Young housewife Yachiyo is disappointed with her husband Kappei, who is more attracted to mountain climbing and another girl. When Yachiyo’s father is introduced to Sonejiro, good will turns evil, and all happiness is at stake.
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Princess Yang Kwei Fei
Title: Princess Yang Kwei Fei
Character: An Lushan
Released: May 3, 1955
Type: Movie
In eighth century China, the Emperor is grieving over the death of his wife. The Yang family wants to provide the Emperor with a consort so that they may consolidate their influence over the court. General An Lushan finds a distant relative working in their kitchen whom they groom to present to the Emperor. The Emperor falls in love with her and she becomes the Princess Yang Kwei-fei. The Yangs are then appointed important ministers, though An Lushan is not given the court position he covets. The ministers misuse their power so much that there is a popular revolt against the Yangs, fueled by An Lushan.
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Ghost Story of Youth
Title: Ghost Story of Youth
Character: Tetsuya, father of Chiharu
Released: April 19, 1955
Type: Movie
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Burden of Love
Title: Burden of Love
Character: Jozaburo Araki
Released: March 18, 1955
Type: Movie
The female members of the family of the Minister of Health and Welfare, who has just proposed a program of birth control, become pregnant one after the other. - Nikkatsu
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Striving to Live
Title: Striving to Live
Released: February 25, 1955
Type: Movie
Yasuichiro Isa, who works in the labor section of Sone Mining Tokyo Headquarters, paid a monthly fee for his younger brother, Reiji, who was in trouble because he had a bonus of 10,000 yen more.
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The Black Current
Title: The Black Current
Released: August 31, 1954
Type: Movie
A reporter Takuo, who is sleeping in the newspaper room of the Maichō newspaper company, receives a sudden report from a reporter that the missing Akiyama JNR president was found dead.
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The Ditch
Title: The Ditch
Released: July 27, 1954
Type: Movie
Toku, a factory worker gives food to a starving woman, Tsuru, who then follows him home. He shares a shack in a shanty village in Kawasaki with his friend Pin-chan. The two men try to get rid of her but then let her stay when she gives them money. Tsuru tells the people of the village that she lost her job due to a strike, then was robbed of her severance pay, then sold to a brothel in Tsuchiura. She ran away with a friend from Kawasaki. Toku and Pin-chan sell her to a geisha house and spend the money. She is thrown out. The owner demands his money back. Tsuru earns the money to pay their debt by working as a prostitute outside the station. The other prostitutes beat her. She fends them off with a policeman's revolver and is then shot dead by the police.
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Love and Duty
Title: Love and Duty
Released: March 24, 1954
Type: Movie
Each one of us lives differently. So, there are many tragedies and comedies in our lives. She feels many conflicts in living her life between truth and love.
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Sound of the Mountain
Title: Sound of the Mountain
Character: Ogata Shingo
Released: January 15, 1954
Type: Movie
An ingratiating bride develops warm ties to her father-in-law while her cold husband blithely slights her for another woman.
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An Inlet of Muddy Water
Title: An Inlet of Muddy Water
Released: November 23, 1953
Type: Movie
A Japanese woman writes down three stories she has witnessed or heard of in her diary, each about the difficult situation a young woman finds herself in.
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Tokyo Story
Title: Tokyo Story
Character: Koichi Hirayama
Released: November 3, 1953
Type: Movie
The elderly Shukishi and his wife, Tomi, take the long journey from their small seaside village to visit their adult children in Tokyo. Their elder son, Koichi, a doctor, and their daughter, Shige, a hairdresser, don't have much time to spend with their aged parents, and so it falls to Noriko, the widow of their younger son who was killed in the war, to keep her in-laws company.
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The Cannery Boat
Title: The Cannery Boat
Character: Matsuki
Released: September 10, 1953
Type: Movie
Describes the oppressed life of the crab fishermen and their final revolt which is bloodily suppressed by the Royal Navy.
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Miniature
Title: Miniature
Character: Wakabayashi
Released: April 1, 1953
Type: Movie
Ginko, a poor cobbler's daughter, becomes a geisha to support her family. She passes from one geisha house to the next, trying to find love and hope in the process. No matter how hard she tries, she just can't escape her sad fate.
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Murahachibu
Title: Murahachibu
Released: March 21, 1953
Type: Movie
A villager's family is ostracized after he makes an accusation of rigged elections
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My Wonderful Yellow Car
Title: My Wonderful Yellow Car
Character: The husband
Released: January 15, 1953
Type: Movie
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Jōka
Title: Jōka
Character: 奥田金馬太郎
Released: December 10, 1952
Type: Movie
The time was the first year of Keio (1865). Upon hearing the news that the Imperial Army was approaching Hida Takayama, the district head Shimizu Uzen fled to Edo. Local officials like Yoshida Bunsuke and Yoshizumi Hironoshin showed their allegiance by welcoming them. The commander at the time, Umemura Hayami, was a former member of the Tengu Party and had previously been pursued in the town. He took refuge in a restaurant named Kabuya, and owing to a tip-off from a woman named Oraku, he was almost captured for her lover, Yoshizumi. Oraku and Yoshizumi probably feared revenge from that previous encounter, but Umemura had come back to Hida because he couldn't forget Oraku.
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The Woman Who Touched the Legs
Title: The Woman Who Touched the Legs
Character: Yasukichi Sakaza
Released: November 2, 1952
Type: Movie
A screwball tale of a suspected “lady thief” and the detective who is on her trail, following her from Osaka to her home village, where she is going to hold a memorial service for her father. Of course, the detective falls in love with his prey.
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Modern People
Title: Modern People
Released: September 3, 1952
Type: Movie
A section chief at the Bureau of Construction is in a shady relationship with a construction company. Then a new, young and honest subordinate is assigned to work under the section chief. Once he learns about the shady relationship, however, the new subordinate skillfully conceals the corruption and joins the corrupt, shady relationship.
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The Ataka Family
Title: The Ataka Family
Released: May 15, 1952
Type: Movie
Soichi Ataka is the eldest son of Ataka family. Although mentally challenged, he's a person with a gentle heart. Soichi's wife, Kuniko is devoted to her husband and together the couple runs the family farm. Their happy family life comes to an abrupt halt when Soichi's half-brother, Joji returns with his wife Masako after failing in a business.
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Kin no tamago: Golden Girl
Title: Kin no tamago: Golden Girl
Released: May 14, 1952
Type: Movie
Once an average and seemingly ordinary Tokyo girl, she suddenly finds herself as a TV star owing to her discovery by a casting company, which noticed photographs that her cousin had sent. When another actress falls ill she is given the role instead. Her first film is a success propelling the young actress to popularity, her own fans, money and a house. While everything looks dandy from the outside not all is well within the family however.
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Okuni and Gohei
Title: Okuni and Gohei
Character: Tomonojo
Released: April 10, 1952
Type: Movie
A high-born woman named Okuni travels around the country with Gohei, a samurai retainer who is in service to her. They are in search of Tomonojo, who has killed the man who was Okuni’s husband and Gohei’s master, and they cannot return to their lord’s home until they have fulfilled their duty of hunting down and killing Tomonojo.
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Riverside Fish Market Empire
Title: Riverside Fish Market Empire
Released: March 14, 1952
Type: Movie
Obscure Japanese movie by director Kyotaro Namiki
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The Wind Blows Twice
Title: The Wind Blows Twice
Released: February 14, 1952
Type: Movie
Kanae, who broke up with her husband and moved to her uncle's house, met two men when her father, a university professor, collapsed. Michihara, a wealthy man and Miyashita, a youth scholar. Kanae is attracted to Miyashita, but ...
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Repast
Title: Repast
Released: November 23, 1951
Type: Movie
Michiyo lives in the small place Osaka and is not happy with her marriage, all she does is cook and clean for her husband.
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Miki, the Swordman
Title: Miki, the Swordman
Character: Hirate Miki
Released: November 2, 1951
Type: Movie
After mastering swordsmanship at the dojo of Chiba Shusaku, and unable to serve a clan due to his illness, Hirate Miki becomes a ronin who winds up as bodyguard to Shigezo of Sasagawa leading up to an epic battle.
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Honoo no hada
Title: Honoo no hada
Released: October 19, 1951
Type: Movie
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Hibari no komoriuta
Title: Hibari no komoriuta
Released: September 21, 1951
Type: Movie
Hibari no komoriuta (ひばりの子守唄, literally "Hibari's Lullaby") is a 1951 black-and-white Japanese film directed by Koji Shima. The movie is based on Das doppelte Lottchen, a novel later adapted as The Parent Trap.
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The Lady of Musashino
Title: The Lady of Musashino
Character: Eiji Ono
Released: September 14, 1951
Type: Movie
Set in post-war Japan, The Lady of Musashino tells the story of Michiko, a disillusioned young woman trapped in a loveless marriage. She confides in her younger cousin, Tsutomo, and the two become close, but decide not to consummate their affair. He instead becomes involved with the flirtatious Tomiko, who is also conducting an affair with Michiko's husband. When Michiko finds that her husband has abandoned her, she decides to take her fate into her own hands.
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Dancing Girl
Title: Dancing Girl
Character: Yagi
Released: August 17, 1951
Type: Movie
The troubled relationship between a writer and his ballet teacher wife, who has for years loved another man, finally leads to the breakup of the family.
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Who Will Judge Me?
Title: Who Will Judge Me?
Released: May 18, 1951
Type: Movie
Directed by Senkichi Taniguchi
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The White Orchid
Title: The White Orchid
Released: March 24, 1951
Type: Movie
A Japanese adaptation of Guy de Maupassant's short story Boule de Suif, directed by Kimura Keigo
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Rumba of Passion
Title: Rumba of Passion
Released: December 29, 1950
Type: Movie
Drama directed by Yasushi Sasaki.
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Homecoming
Title: Homecoming
Released: November 25, 1950
Type: Movie
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Tenpo Suikoden - Otone's Night Fog
Title: Tenpo Suikoden - Otone's Night Fog
Character: Hirate (Sake brewer)
Released: November 18, 1950
Type: Movie
Jidai-geki by Kiyoshi Saeki
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Portrait of Madame Yuki
Title: Portrait of Madame Yuki
Character: Tateoka
Released: October 21, 1950
Type: Movie
A young woman takes up her new job as the servant of a noblewoman and soon discovers that underneath her facade of luxury lies great unhappiness.
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Senka o koete
Title: Senka o koete
Released: September 2, 1950
Type: Movie
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The Munekata Sisters
Title: The Munekata Sisters
Character: Ryosuke Mimura
Released: August 8, 1950
Type: Movie
Setsuko is unhappily married to Mimura, an engineer with no job and a bad drinking habit. She had always been in love with Hiroshi but both of them failed to propose when Hiroshi left for France a few years ago. Now he is back and Mariko tries to reunite them. She too is secretly in love with Hiroshi.
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White Beast
Title: White Beast
Released: June 3, 1950
Type: Movie
The critical establishment was clearly not prepared to accept a woman's prison film featuring former prostitutes recovering from venereal diseases, unwanted pregnancies, and estranged lovers. With its cat fights, hysterical tantrums, film noir lighting, and dramatic music, White Beast is indicative of the new influences of the Hollywood psychological thriller on Naruse. Caged (John Cromwell, 1950) initiated a cycle of women's prison movies in the United States that may or may not have been shown in Japan, but the stylistics of White Beast draw on the same paranoid woman's films and film noir conventions that preceded the American cycle.
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Song of Love
Title: Song of Love
Released: April 9, 1950
Type: Movie
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Duel in the Sun
Title: Duel in the Sun
Character: Attorney
Released: March 7, 1950
Type: Movie
A film by Kiyoshi Saeki
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Kagebōshi
Title: Kagebōshi
Character: 小山田鉄心
Released: January 3, 1950
Type: Movie
On the night the shogunate's treasury was breached, the guard Utsugi had already been taken down. His colleague Ryunosuke felt responsible and decided to catch the culprit, not only for the sake of the beautiful wife of Utsugi, Chika, but also for his own honor. Chika's younger brother Shinjiro and the powerful Uechi family living near Ryunosuke's abode, join hands to support Ryunosuke. Counterfeit coins begin to surface—a scheme by the corrupt faction led by Yanagisawa. The henchman behind this is Koyamada Tesshin, who gathers ronin to amplify Yanagisawa's power. Among those ronin is Tendo Sakon—a man who drinks silently and plays the flute when in a mood.
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Kirare no Senta
Title: Kirare no Senta
Released: April 5, 1949
Type: Movie
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A Woman in the Typhoon Area
Title: A Woman in the Typhoon Area
Character: Kijima
Released: September 18, 1948
Type: Movie
Four unlucky pirates head to a weather tracking station set on a remote island with the intention of holding the weather trackers as hostages and assaulting their next incoming supply ship; but at the station they are told that a serious typhoon is on the way, so the ship will be delayed.
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A Second Life
Title: A Second Life
Released: February 3, 1948
Type: Movie
1948 Japanese drama film.
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The Love of the Actress Sumako
Title: The Love of the Actress Sumako
Character: Hôgetsu Shimamura
Released: August 16, 1947
Type: Movie
The stage director Shimamura, who is bringing western theatre to Japan, falls in love with the outspoken actress Sumako Matsui, and leaves his family to be with her, while trying to keep his Art Theatre solvent.
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As Long as I Live
Title: As Long as I Live
Released: August 1, 1946
Type: Movie