This is the third film in "The Human Condition" trilogy--a series of films that follow the very idealistic Kaji through WWII. At first, he believes strongly in the goodness and value of ALL people--putting him at odds with the xenophobic Japanese who see non-Japanese as subhuman. In the first film, Kaji is sent to oversee production at a forced labor camp where his humanitarian treatment of prisoners runs afoul of the militarists. By the end of the film, Kaji is not only removed from this job but inducted into the military.
In the second film, he's in boot camp for much of the film and is frequently brutalized for his socialist views. By the end of the episode, it's the final days of the war and most of his unit is wiped out by Russian troops.
Here in the third film, it picks up with Kaji and two other soldiers wandering about--trying to find food and civilization. Along the way, they meet up with other Japanese on the run and through the course of the film, most of the Japanese lose their humanity--thinking only of themselves and their baser instincts. However, Kaji is STILL an idealist--but he's finding it harder and harder to stick to these values as those around him degenerate like animals.
Unfortunately, after struggling with hunger and exhaustion to try to find his way home, Kaji and his men are captured by the Russians and are sent to a work camp. There, in an ironic twist, Kaji learns firsthand what his workers in the first movie experienced. He's beaten, starved and treated like dirt. His socialist philosophy is finally broken when he realizes that Stalinist Russia is NOT a friend to the people--and it sucks just as much as any other lousy nation. He then escapes, wanders about and dies! Ultimately, the three films are about 10 hours of length and are an indictment of both the Japanese militarism as well as debunking the notion that humanity is universal. No, instead, war is useless and folks degenerate to their basest instincts. It's all very, very depressing and jaded--which isn't the least bit surprising for Japan during the 1950s--when lots of other great anti-war films debuted about the same subject matter--such as "Burmese Harp" and "Fires on the Plain". "The Human Condition" is great for its thoroughness and style, though I think the other two films are better since they are more concise--and, if anything, MORE negative in their depiction of war. Well worth seeing---just make sure you have a HUGE block of time to see it.
In the second film, he's in boot camp for much of the film and is frequently brutalized for his socialist views. By the end of the episode, it's the final days of the war and most of his unit is wiped out by Russian troops.
Here in the third film, it picks up with Kaji and two other soldiers wandering about--trying to find food and civilization. Along the way, they meet up with other Japanese on the run and through the course of the film, most of the Japanese lose their humanity--thinking only of themselves and their baser instincts. However, Kaji is STILL an idealist--but he's finding it harder and harder to stick to these values as those around him degenerate like animals.
Unfortunately, after struggling with hunger and exhaustion to try to find his way home, Kaji and his men are captured by the Russians and are sent to a work camp. There, in an ironic twist, Kaji learns firsthand what his workers in the first movie experienced. He's beaten, starved and treated like dirt. His socialist philosophy is finally broken when he realizes that Stalinist Russia is NOT a friend to the people--and it sucks just as much as any other lousy nation. He then escapes, wanders about and dies! Ultimately, the three films are about 10 hours of length and are an indictment of both the Japanese militarism as well as debunking the notion that humanity is universal. No, instead, war is useless and folks degenerate to their basest instincts. It's all very, very depressing and jaded--which isn't the least bit surprising for Japan during the 1950s--when lots of other great anti-war films debuted about the same subject matter--such as "Burmese Harp" and "Fires on the Plain". "The Human Condition" is great for its thoroughness and style, though I think the other two films are better since they are more concise--and, if anything, MORE negative in their depiction of war. Well worth seeing---just make sure you have a HUGE block of time to see it.