Thriller,Crime,Mystery,Drama
Japan
High and Low is a 1963 Japanese crime film directed by Akira Kurosawa. The movie is based on Ed McBain's novel King's Ransom. It tells the story of Gondo, an executive of a shoe company, who is forced to choose between paying a ransom for his chauffeur's son or using the money to save his company.
The movie is divided into two distinct halves. The first half takes place in Gondo's luxurious home overlooking the city. During a party, Gondo receives a call that his son has been kidnapped, but it turns out that the kidnappers have mistaken Gondo's son for his chauffer's son. The kidnappers demand a ransom that would bankrupt Gondo's shoe company, but Gondo decides to pay it anyway. However, his board of directors objects, leaving it up to Gondo to decide what to do.
The second half of the movie takes place on the streets of Yokohama as the police and Gondo try to track down the kidnappers. Kurosawa contrasts the luxurious life of Gondo in the first half with the gritty reality of the kidnappers and the detectives who are pursuing them. The movie becomes a psychological thriller as Gondo and the detectives race against time to find the kidnappers and rescue the boy.
High and Low is an intense and brilliantly crafted crime film that explores issues of social class, morality, and redemption. It is considered one of Kurosawa's greatest works and a masterpiece of the crime genre.
