Product Details

• Actors: Toshirô Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Miki Sanjô, Kenjiro Uemura, Chieko Nakakita
• Directors: Akira Kurosawa
• Writers: Akira Kurosawa, Kazuo Kikuta, Senkichi Taniguchi
• Producers: Hisao Ichikawa, Sôjirô Motoki
• Format: Black & White, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: Japanese (Dolby Digital 1.0)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Bci / Eclipse
• DVD Release Date: September 19, 2006
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000GTJSYY
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,114 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Akira Kurosawa's The Quiet Duel" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Based on a play by Kazuo Kikuta this early Akira Kurosawa film concerns an army surgeon (Mifune) who during a life-saving operation contaminates himself with syphilis which at the time was virtually incurable. Now suffering with the dreaded disease he needs to find the faith to return to his work helping save people's lives including the man from whom he contracted the disease. Starring Toshiro Mifune in his second of many film collaborations with Akira Kurosawa.System Requirements:Running Time: 95 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: MISCELLANEOUS/OTHER Rating: NR UPC: 787364718795

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars BCI Does It Again January 3, 2007

By Robert H. Knox VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

BCI are quickly becoming one of the best sources for offbeat Japanese films. THE QUIET DUEL was the only film directed by Akira Kurosawa with music by Akira Ifukube (Godzilla). Until this DVD release, it was also the only Kurosawa title that I did not have in some form, and I'm pleased to report that, while not in the league of IKIRU or SEVEN SAMURAI, THE QUIET DUEL is still well worth seeing, and a must for all devotees of the great Toshiro Mifune. He is fine in this early role as a medical doctor who makes a tragic error. Also on hand is Kurosawa regular Takashi Shimura, who was so memorable in IKIRU. Altough this film is far from the director's best, even lesser Kurosawa is eminently recommendable, and the many fans of Maestro Ifukube will certainly want to check this out. The picture quality is fine, no problems with the disc, packaging is outstanding and the price is about half of what Criterion would ask...Thank you, BCI!

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Flawed Early Kurosawa as Film School January 18, 2007

By Samurai Girl VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

The Quiet Duel has many of the Kurosawan hallmarks: conflicted characters, a character that learns and changes and grows (in this case, it is the female nurse who grows most dramatically)and our favorites: Takeshi Shimura and Toshiro Mifune!

Flawed, sure. And, my respects to the composer, but the "mutual multiplier effect" (Kurosawa's term for it) of the extra-diagetic with the visual...is, unfortunately, maybe not working at top form, here. In fact, there is one strangley intrusive music box that nearly spoils the scene of confrontation and confession between Shimura and Mifune. I cannot fault the composer, who confessed that he did not get along as well with Kurosawa as some others. I do not doubt the man's integrity or sesitivity. I do think film is a collaborative process.

Still, one learns so much from an early film. I see the kernal of an idea for Red Beard in much of this film. And, despite any criticism, Red Beard is a profoundly moving piece of cinema. It is instructive to view The Quiet Duel, then Red Beard to see the master's growth. If you are a Kurofan, this DVD will be a welcome addition to your knowledge and collection of the master's work!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Delicate dilemna August 9, 2008

By Randy Keehn VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

I begin with a disclaimer; I'm sure I would never have heard of, let alone seen, "The Quiet Duel" if it hadn't been an early Akira Kurosawa movie. This movie would very likely never been made available in English sub-titles nor probably been on any late-night Japanese TV station. However, the fame of its' director legitimately made this a movie worth seeing. Let me restate that; The skill of its' director made this a movie worth viewing 60+ years after it was made.

There is a dramatic quality in the script and acting that shows a serious director was in charge of this film. The subject matter was risque for its' time and place. That required a fair degree of discretion and subtlety which Kurosawa provided. Rather than the old "I got it from a toilet seat" routine, we see the events leading up to the syphylis infection of a Japanese combat doctor in 1944. Its' innocence is essetial to the plot. This is a morality tale of innocence unable to defend itself. The characters are all very real and display a variety of morals and perspectives. The hero of our story is a difficult one to empathise with. His steadfast adherance to his self-denial effects many around him. There are many issues that arise and we are left having to accept that not all of life's problems result in happy endings. However, we still get to view a somewhat silver lining.