Trailers
Description
After handing in a report on the treatment of Chinese colonial labor, Kaji is offered the post of labour chief at a large mining operation in Manchuria, which also grants him exemption from military service. He accepts and moves with his newlywed wife Michiko, but when he tries to put his ideas of more humane treatment into practice, he finds himself at odds with scheming officials, cruel foremen, and the military police.
Starring
Awards
Key opinion
This two-part installment of The Human Condition is recognized as a rare, faithful adaptation of the original novel that documents a moral struggle against wartime brutality. While some viewers admire the principled defiance of the protagonist, others find the film's execution overly theatrical and lacking in emotional resonance.
| Adaptation | The film succeeds as a rare, highly faithful adaptation of the source novel. | |
| Theme | The protagonist's unyielding refusal to compromise his humanistic principles serves as a central, thought-provoking theme. | |
| Acting | Tatsuya Nakadai’s performance is highly expressive, though the overall acting style is perceived by some as overly theatrical. | |
| Ending | The narrative's drawn-out, abrupt ending creates a polarizing conclusion for the viewer. | |
| Emotion | The protagonist's idealized, absolute rejection of violence feels implausible to some, diminishing the film's emotional impact. |