Thursday, April 26, 2018

HOUSE OF BAMBOO 1955 (FOX)

Sam Fuller directed this excellent film noir.

Robert Ryan stars as Sandy Dawson, a man who leads one of the top crime rings in Japan. He is brutal and relentless. His right hand man is named Griff (Cameron Mitchell) and he enjoys killing much more than anyone else and trusts nobody.

A mysterious man named Eddie Kenner comes to Tokyo under the name Eddie Spannier to investigate the death of his brother who might have been working for Dawson.

Dawson quickly accepts Spannier into his crime ring, but Griff has some misgivings which Dawson doesn't even listen to. Spannier/Kenner also falls for a beasutiful Japanese woman who was Spannier's secret wife, Mariko (Shirley Yamaguchi).

The plot is somewhat complicated, but not hard to follow. Director Fuller has all of his usual touches and he handles this rare color noir perfectly. The performances by all involved are very good with Yamaguchi playing the most low key. I like her but I do with she was more of a standout in the film.

The movie does have a happier ending ending than most films of its kind. The final shootout atop a rotating wheel is something I had never seen since in any film. Very unique.

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