The Inheritance

The final film in Criterion's box set series, Eclipse 38: Masaki Kobayashi Against The System, is The Inheritance (1962). It is yet another tale of corruption and human frailty. In this film a wealthy businessman (So Yamamura) decides to split his inheritance among his three illegitimate children and his most recent and much younger wife. Through into the mix his secretary (Keiko Kishi) that becomes his mistress in his ill-health and unscrupulous employees (Tatsuya Nakadai and Minoru Chiaki) and everyone is wearing their greed on sleeves. This seems like an interesting choice sandwiched in between his two greatest triumphs-The Human Condition (a film about the Japanese war experience in China) and Harikiri (Kobayashi's anti-authoritarian masterpiece). This marks the first of several collaborations with master composer Toru Takemitsu and so very different from the score to Harikiri, in that it is a modern jazzy score. All in all, this set is a fascinating look at Jpaan in the 50s and 60s from a man who was not afraid to address issues that many would rather sweep under the mat. Kobayashi might be one of the era's most under rated directors and has become one of my favorite Japanese directors.