High and Low

In Yokohama a hard charging shoe magnate is blindsided when the kidnapper grabs the chauffeur's son by mistake but still demands a seven figure ransom. The case drags the city into the glare of public scrutiny as a tense confrontation unfolds between money, duty, and conscience. With a veteran detective ring and a meticulous countdown, Kurosawa threads parallel scenes of the corporate world and a city in suspense, forcing the man at the top to weigh personal loss against the price of keeping secrets. The narrative never tips its hand to sensational twists, instead focusing on moral choices under pressure.

Directed by Akira Kurosawa, High and Low arrived in 1963 with a screenplay by Eijiro Hisaita, Ryuzo Kikushima and Hideo Oguni. It reflects Kurosawa's interest in social fault lines and brisk storytelling.

The film is celebrated for its stark social critique and its innovative use of dual narratives that track the pursuit of a crime from both the corporate sphere and the streets. Its methodical pace influenced later crime dramas and police procedurals.

Critics praise Kurosawa's precise framing, the moral ambiguity of wealth and duty, and the suspense built through restrained dialogue. High and Low probes class tension, media influence, and the cost of choices we keep private when public judgment looms.

Box office figures for High and Low are not widely published. The film was produced on a modest budget, and its enduring status comes from critical acclaim rather than headline grosses.