Kurosawa's IKIRU

Kurosawa's IKIRU is a lesser known film but never lacking in his strong commitment to handling human issues with immaculate perception. The story is very simple. A simple as it could be, there is not much gimmick nor many twists and turns. Even then it is really a treat to watch and worth sitting through to the end.

Tao is is the Unit Head of a public works department. He was left alone by his parents at an early age. His wife too died leaving behind his only son Tong. He himself brought him up with all too parental care sacrificing his personal happiness and joy.

He served his office for 30 years at a stretch never leaving his job undone lived his life among piles of files which seem to be his home and hearth. But the corruption of bureaucracy and red-tapism has tormented him and alienated him from the fellow employees. He only knew how to dispense with his duties. The fellow workers named him 'mummy' and ridiculed him behind his back.

Not only that, to add insult to the injury, his son Tong and his wife too neglected him shamelessly. There only concern was to get money from him. Tao's life was such a tragically woven life that he got liver cancer which he never disclosed to anybody.

Only a fellow cancer patient knew about this. He stopped attending his office which led many of his office workers and neighbours to resorting dirty gossips about him among themselves. He started visiting hotel, restaurants, bars with that cancer patients to get over the predicaments. One day, a young seductive girl came to visit him and he started loving her company. But that seductive girl too eschewed him. At their last meeting in a restaurant, Tao asked her about what boosted her energy made her so frolicsome and jovial.

That girl presented him a limping toy rabbit. Seeing that toy limping, Tao at last realised the true meaning of life which was to live life to one's full content. He regained his lost energy of sorts. He wanted to enjoy life like others but without forsaking his commitment to dedication.

Next day he started attending his office. Overriding all bureaucratic obstacles he built a public park which was a legitimate and long time demand of the local citizens. In the end, he succumbed to cancer singing "Life is short" while swinging on the cradle of the park all alone.

But his mission mission had not gone abegging. All his fellow workers and his son acknowledged his honesty and integrity. The tragedy ends here but with a message. And the 'mummy' came to life and he was, as it were, resurrected after his tragic death. It never ended in smoke.

Kurosawa used a lot of flashbacks to portray the contradictions Tao's life with the decadent world which has tormented his soul in no uncertain terms. The soulfulness is poignantly displayed in all those flashbacks. Without those flashbacks the contradictions could not be revealed in such a distinctive denouement. Toshiro Miffun has once more proved his mettle here with his wonderful performance.