Jakoman & Tetsu – 88 Films

Director: Kinji Fukasaku
Screenplay: Akira Kurosawa, Senkichi Taniguchi
Based on a Book by: Keizo Kajino
Starring: Ken Takakura, Tetsurô Tanba, Isao Yamagata, Yôko Minamida, Kumeko Urabe, Wakaba Irie, Hizuru Takachiho, Shinjirō Ehara
Country: Japan
Running Time: 99 min
Year: 1964
BBFC Certificate: 12

Jakoman & Tetsu (a.k.a. Jakoman to Tetsu, released in 1964) was an early film for director Kinji Fukasaku. In fact, it’s the earliest I’m aware of that’s been released on physical media in the UK. The film was Fukasaku’s first notable hit too, making it quite an important title in his career.

Fukasaku’s Jakoman & Tetsu was the second film adaptation of a novel called ‘Nishin gyogyo’ (which translates as ‘Herring Fishery’) by Keizo Kajino. The first adaptation, made in 1949, was co-written by Akira Kurosawa and Senkichi Taniguchi and featured Toshiro Mifune and Ryûnosuke Tsukigata. Ken Takakura, who Toei were trying to turn into a star in the early 60s, was a fan of the story and pushed it forward as a vehicle to help boost his popularity. To save money or maintain high standards, the same script from the previous film was used, give or take a few tweaks.

As mentioned, the film was a hit and, after working largely in minor films or as a supporting actor in major ones, Takakura’s star finally looked to be on the rise. Abashiri Prison, released the following year, would aid this even more.

Eureka, Arrow and Radiance have released a slew of Fukasaku discs over the past decade or so, but it’s 88 Films’ turn to polish up this early hit for the director. Being a big fan of Fukasaku’s work, I got hold of a screener and my thoughts follow.

Jakoman & Tetsu is set in 1947 and unfolds in a remote fishing village on the Shakotan Peninsula in northern Hokkaido. It’s an area that relies heavily on its herring fishery but the fish are a temperamental sort, not appearing near the shore every year and only staying for a brief period.

The village’s fragile existence is disrupted by the arrival of Jakoman (Tetsurô Tanba), a one-eyed criminal who has come to get revenge for the theft of his boat by Kyubei (Isao Yamagata), who runs the fishery and had believed Jakoman to be dead.

Jakoman terrorises the local inhabitants and throws the already difficult fishing operations into chaos. As Jakoman’s disruptive presence intensifies, Kyubei’s son Tetsu (Ken Takakura), who was also believed to be dead, returns to the village. He takes it upon himself to confront Jakoman and restore order, leading to a tense and dramatic conflict that tests the resolve of the villagers and pits Tetsu against the menacing Jakoman.

With Fukasaku being best known in the West for his yakuza and crime movies, a drama about herring fishing seems quite an unusual film for the director. Indeed, Jakoman & Tetsu was seen as a change of pace even back then, as his previous films had been from the crime and action genres. Fukasaku’s vast filmography would become more varied over the years though. It’s just that the violent ones are deemed to be more marketable overseas, I guess.

Jakoman & Tetsu does share some of the qualities of Fukasaku’s better-known work though. As usual, the director takes great pleasure in giving even the most minor supporting characters a chance to shine on screen, with busy frames, brimming with life. Some of these characters are made more memorable than they need to be too, creating a rich tapestry on screen.

The major characters are also interesting and a great cast backs this up. As mentioned, the film was a passion project for Takakura, so he puts his all into it. He’s incredibly charismatic but doesn’t play it cool all the time, as he sometimes did in later roles. In fact, he gets a goofy song and dance number at one point.

I found Jakoman the most compelling character though. Whilst he bullies many of the villagers and workers, he does have reason to be angry with Kyubei, who isn’t such a nice bloke himself. He also shares moments of understanding with Tetsu and a hesitant friendship with Osaka (Shinjirō Ehara), a man escaping a troubled past by working as a fisherman.

Isao Yamagata plays it big as Tetsu’s dad, but this over-the-top approach suits the character and helps offset the more elusive nature of the titular leads.

Though a very male-dominated film, there are a few female characters, and one stands out in particular, Yuki (Hizuru Takachiho). She’s a strong-willed figure who won’t give up on her former lover, Jakoman. She won’t let herself be pushed around and shares some enjoyable exchanges with Tetsu.

The story and themes are also interesting. Set shortly after the Second World War, the film explores the difficulties of the times and the hardships faced in occupied Japan. The story has the feel of a western too, in its tale of an outsider coming to a small town to fix its problems. This is despite its decidedly anti-western setting of a snowy, coastal region of Japan

On top of this, the film revolves around an issue still relevant today, that of migrant workers being exploited by local business owners. As such, it’s easy to get caught up in the tale.

So, whilst Jakoman & Tetsu is quite different to the films of Kinji Fukasaku that I’d seen before, I was charmed by this ‘manly melodrama’. It’s an early indicator of the director’s skills and a pleasure to watch, aided by a strong cast.

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