Number 175 on IMDb's Top 250
An executive mortgages all he owns to stage a coup and gain control of the National Shoe Company, with the intent of keeping the company out of the hands of incompetent and greedy executives. He needs the same money, though, to pay the ransom that will possibly save a child's life. Hilarity ensues. His resolution of that dilemma -- the certain loss of the company vs. the probable loss of the child -- makes for one distinct drama, and an ensuing elaborate police procedure makes for a second.
Trivia: Based on the novel, "King's Ransom", by Ed McBain, part of McBain's 87th Precinct series. The last section of the movie originally had a great deal of dialogue, but Kurosawa decided to omit all of it. There is one shot of the movie that is in color - the scene of the colored smoke rising from the incinerator. Some television prints botch this and have the scene in black and white instead, diluting its impact.
This is Kurosawa's Film Noir. The thing that is starting to impress me with Kurosawa is that he has a wide range, from a "western" feel to Film Noir, his movies are very diverse. This movie could actually be cut into two very distinct parts, the kidnapping, and the police investigation afterwards. Kurosawa also did well in pointing out the differences between the classes (Hence the name High and Low). At first, Gondo, the rich guy, thinks his son is the one that was kidnapped, but when he finds out it is actually his Chauffer's son (the kidnapper mixed the two boys up), he at first dicides to not pay, but then starts to struggle with his decision. Gondo also lives on top of a bluff that can be seen for miles around by the slums down in the valley.
Next Up: Out Of The Past
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