Hiroshi Inagaki

Hiroshi Inagaki (Japanese稲 垣 浩, Inagaki Hiroshi, born December 30, 1905 in Tokyo, † May 21, 1980 ) was a Japanese film director, screenwriter and actor. During his lifetime, he was next to renowned filmmakers such as Akira Kurosawa, Yasujiro Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi or Masaki Kobayashi as major Japanese filmmakers. International fame earned him especially the two samurai samurai films (1954) and The Rickshaw Man (1958).

Life

Hiroshi Inagaki was born as the son of an actor. His mother died when he was eight years old. As a child, he began writing his own plays, rather he joined at the age of 17 years as a film actor in Japanese silent films in appearance. His film debut was with the part of the Sankichi Kenji Mizoguchi in yoru (1923). This was followed by more offers and roles in the directing of Mizoguchi ( Shichimencho no yukue and zemindars zoshi, both 1924).

As a 22 -year-old Inagaki moved into directing and staged with the history stripes Horo zanmai (1928), his first film. In the following 42 years, he was promoted with elaborate Historienepen the major Japanese film directors and implemented by 1970 more than 70 film projects. The international success came with Samurai (1954 ), the first part of a trilogy with Toshirō Mifune in the lead role, a. The story of a spirited farmer's son who sets out to become a samurai warrior in the 17th century, was awarded the prize for best foreign language film at the Academy Awards in 1956.

After Inagaki had received an invitation to compete in the International Film Festival of Berlin in 1957 for the film adaptation Father Love ( 1956) with Ryu Chishu and Tanaka Kinuyo, followed by another peak of his career a year later. For The Rickshaw Man (1958), again with Toshirō Mifune in the title role, Inagaki was awarded the Golden Lion at the International Film Festival of Venice. It was a re- filming of his work as a director Muhomatsu no issho from the year 1943. The meditative film in which the director of the West German film- service seem to be aware related to elements of modern Western and Russian film according to contemporary critics, presented Mifune as brutish rickshaw man who rises to become the protector of a weak officer son. Again with Inagaki Mifune worked together on The banner of the Samurai (1966 ), the actor also significantly co-financed with his own production company.

Hiroshi Inagaki harbored a taste for American movies and counted John Wayne to his favorite actors. In his opinion, would Wayne's films that he made with John Ford, the Japanese reminiscent of the teamwork between actor and director. With Machibuse (1970), again under the cooperation with Mifune, was his last feature film. From the 1970s, the conservative leadership of the traditional Toho Studios Inagaki entrusted the directing any film project more. The films of the aging director were considered too expensive to manufacture. In his last years, the director suffered from loneliness and alcohol problems. He died in 1980 at the age of 74 years in his hometown of Tokyo.

Filmography (selection)

Awards

  • Mainichi Eiga Concours 1950: Special price for Wasurerareta kora (together with the rest of the film crew )
  • International Film Festival Berlin 1957: nominated for the Golden Bear for Father's love
  • International Film Festival of Venice 1958: Golden Lion for The Rickshaw Man
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