L'uomo del riksciò

Like the other comments, this movie should be available on DVD or VHS. I remember seeing it 40 years ago and its brilliance stands out in my mind as if I saw it yesterday.

Toshiro Mifune plays against type. No samurai warrior he, but a humble Rickshaw man secretly in love with an upper class woman. He shepherds her son throughout the years and the woman, while almost recognizing the Rickshaw Man has helped make her son a man, never comprehends the love Mifune has for her.

A classic woman's film that caused this man to cry. And the fact that it stars Mifune and is directed by a macho director who likes to do period Samurai movies is amazing. Two macho stars making one of the great soaps of all time. And I mean that in the best of ways.

While filled with pathos, there is enough fun in this film to keep you on your toes. Set in Japan at the turn of the 20th century, it shows how a simple rickshaw man has to adjust to the modernization of his country. Menawhile, keeping his promise to a dead client, he cares for the wife and child of the dead naval officer. The hitch is that he loves the beautiful widow and child. Yet, is constrained by social boundries from ever expressing it to them.

Only Mifune could have turned in a performance such as this.

Just wish they'd remaster this rascal and offer it as a DVD.

When I think of Toshiro Mifune I usually think of the films he made with Akira Kurosawa, but he had a streak of excellent performances in interesting films directed by Hiroshi Inagaki. The first films I saw were the "Samurai Trilogy" (1954-56), three films based on the life of Miyamoto Musashi. That being said I was also impressed by The Rickshaw Man (1958). Mifune delivers his trademark "physical" role of Matsu "the Outlaw"(a title appropriated by Imamura in one of his documentaries) a larger than life rickshaw man in Kokura, Kyushu. Evidently, this is a remake of an earlier film, but i have never seen the previous film. Matsu befriends a small boy and becomes the surrogate father after the boy's father dies. He also carries a torch for the boy's mother played by Naruse regular Hideko Takamine. In this film we get to see Mifune win a running race,beat up several school boys in a big fight, and expertly play the taiko drum. The storyline is somewhat melodramatic, but Mifune carries the film with his charismatic performance-it is entertaining and worthwhile.

I last saw this film nearly 35 years ago and would like to see an English subtitled DVD one more time before I go. Of all the films that Mifune Toshiro made, this is the one I love the most. Mifune's portrayal of a common man who does not apologize for his lot in life but instead lives it to it's fullest extent is both amusing and inspirational.

There was also a version done by Mikuni Rentaro (Toei Studios) that I have seen. At this point in time, I am willing to watch any of the many remakes of this film.

Hopefully someone with some "juice" will read these comments and act on bringing a good English subtitled version to DVD.

The story of a great man indeed. A man who, despite his poverty and unjustifiable way of life, finds happiness and appreciates the simple and basic things in it, and the people who make contact with him quickly recognize his great character and kindness. Toshiro Mifune may have just delivered one of his best performances in his whole acting career, so different from his usual expressions he would normally showcase in Kurosawa's films. In this film, while in some parts he impersonates a similar role to those he would do in Kurosawa's films, he mostly adopts a personality of a humble, charitable man. He is definitely the core and character that makes this film overflow with greatness, although many of the other people involved in the cast are just as important.

The fact that this film is very rare and difficult to track, in my opinion, is comparable to the unfortunate life of Matsu (character enacted by Toshiro Mifune) who, being a wonderful man, goes through life mainly unnoticed and unacknowledged; only some people get to know him better and firmly state that he could have been someone big. Such is the fate of this film; it is highly underrated, but if you are fortunate enough to find it, you will behold the story of an admirable man.