Who wrote the screenplay for Red Beard and when did writing begin?
The screenplay was written by Akira Kurosawa, Masato Ide, Hideo Oguni, and Ryūzō Kikushima. The scriptwriting process began in early July 1963.
The screenplay was written by Akira Kurosawa, Masato Ide, Hideo Oguni, and Ryūzō Kikushima. The scriptwriting process began in early July 1963.
Principal photography commenced on the 21st of December 1963 and continued until two years later. The production team constructed an entire town set that remained unfilmed during this period.
Toshiro Mifune stopped working with Akira Kurosawa because the director's increasingly long production schedules required him to turn down other offers. The physical toll of the extended shoot contributed to a permanent professional separation between the two collaborators.
Dr. Noboru Yasumoto works at a rural clinic where he treats a young girl named Otoyo who arrives from a brothel with bruises and fear. He eventually turns down a prestigious position to stay at the clinic alongside Niide while treating patients like Chōbu who attempt suicide by poison.
Toho released Red Beard to theaters across Japan on the 24th of April 1965 after delaying its initial New Year holiday slot. The film earned millions in distributor rental earnings making it one of the highest-grossing Japanese films of that year.