‘Red Beard’: The Courage to be Compassionate

Director Akira Kurosawa and acclaimed actor Toshiro Mifune collaborate one last time in a not so well-known film classic.

Dr. Noboru Yasumoto (Yuzo Kayama, L) and Dr. Kyojo “Redbeard” Niide (Toshiro Mifune), in “Red Beard.” Toho

NR | 3h 5m | Drama | 1965

Akira Kurosawa’s “Red Beard” marks a fascinating transition point in his career. Produced in 1965, it was his final black-and-white feature. It was also the last time he worked with his iconic collaborator, Toshiro Mifune, a pairing that had shaped some of cinema’s most enduring classics.