The silent duel
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The silent duel |
| Original title | Shizukanaru Kettō |
 | |
| Country of production | Japan |
| original language | Japanese |
| Publishing year | 1949 |
| length | 95 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Akira Kurosawa |
| script | Senkichi Taniguchi |
| production |
Hisao Ichikawa Sôjirô Motoki |
| music | Akira Ifukube |
| camera | Shoichi Aizaka |
| cut | Masanori Tsujii |
| occupation | |
| |
The silent duel ( Japanese 静 か な る 決 闘 , Shizukanaru Kettō ) is a black and white drama produced by Daiei in 1949 based on the play by Kazuo Kikuta . Directed by Akira Kurosawa .
action
During the Second World War, the young and idealistic doctor Kyoji Fujisaki contracted syphilis in a soldier through a cut on his finger during an operation in a military hospital . When he returns home, he works in his father's hospital, Konosuke Fujisaki, and tries as best he can to treat his illness. Although he has not been morally guilty, he can no longer reconcile his engagement to Misao Matsumoto with his conscience and ends the engagement without further explanation. Misao is devastated but, contrary to her feelings, decides to marry another man. Meanwhile, Kyoji meets Susumu Nakada, the soldier from the hospital where he was infected. He realizes that, contrary to all morals, he has also infected his wife with syphilis, who is now expecting a child. Any rescue comes too late for Susumu and his unborn child, but his wife can start treatment in time. Although the film has a tragic mood, it ends in a life-affirmative way.
criticism
Vincent Canby describes the film as the footnote of a great career and names the problem that the basic theme of the film, syphilis, no longer has the horror of the time the film was made.
background
The Silent Duel is Kurosawa's only film based on a contemporary play.
Web links
- The silent duel in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The silent duel at moviepilot