Stray Dog (1949)

Japan 122m, B&W
Director: Akira Kurosawa; Cast: Toshirō Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Awaji, Eiko Miyoshi, Isao Kimura

Stray Dog is a crime film noir which follows a young detective’s search for his stolen gun which has been used in a series of violent crimes. Stricken with guilt over his carelessness, Detective Murakami’s “bad luck” is presented as both misfortune and opportunity and he must decide which path to choose. In attempting to locate the whereabouts of his missing weapon, he takes to the streets to seek out the “stray dog” whose desperate life had led him to a life of crime – an option which he had faced prior to joining the police. The ensuing investigation results in a friendship between Murakami and Detective Sato – an older more experienced detective. Their relationship, which evolves into one of friendship, complicates the investigation and adds further depth to the story which explores the important choices we must make in the face of life’s challenges (Klaus Ming January 2011).