TCM offered no special introduction or presentation for the film, though. Synopsis: As National Shoe Company executive Kingo Gondo Mifune makes a bold plan to sell everything he has in order to wrest control of the company from rival executives, his son is kidnapped for thirty million yen.
Analysis contains spoilers : This film is absolutely terrific. It is immensely and diversely suspenseful, melding a cornucopia of genres and moods. High and Low is one part corporate intrigue, one part moral dilemma, at least one part taut police procedural, and one part examination of social problems.
Structurally, High and Low is like two mini-movies. That structure makes for a unique viewing experience. Like Psycho , the film changes genres midway through, and yet, again as in Psycho , the viewer barely notices the joltβeverything seams together perfectly. However, High and Low is unlike Psycho in that the genre splicing provides a more layered look at one character, rather than killing the protagonist off.
One of the most rewarding parts of viewing High and Low is that the two parts of the film offer wildly juxtaposed perceptions of Gondoβthis is mostly interesting because of just how little we actually see Gondo in the second half.
He moves from being the protagonist to being more of a background figure, yet, as a background figure, he seems far more likable. The Gondo of the first half is a cruel figure who lords over his kingdom through meanness and machinations. He has been surreptitiously buying stock to take over the company he works for, and he tells his son that winning is all that matters.
