High and Low
An executive of a Yokohama shoe company becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur's son is kidnapped by mistake and held for ransom.
Directed by Akira Kurosawa · Crime · Drama · Mystery · 143 min · 1963
Trailer
Director
Akira Kurosawa
Studio
N/A
Release
26 Nov 1963
Runtime
143 min
Genres
Crime, Drama, Mystery
Full Plot
A wealthy businessman is told his son has been kidnapped and he will have to pay a very large sum for him to be returned safely. It is then discovered that his son is safe at home: the kidnapper took his chauffeur's son by accident. The kidnapper says this makes no difference: pay up or the child dies. This leaves him with a moral dilemma, as he really needs the money to conclude a very important business deal.
Cast & Characters
Toshirô Mifune
Yutaka Sada
, the chief investigator in the kidnapping case.
Tatsuya Nakadai
Kyōko Kagawa
, Gondō's secretary.
Tatsuya Mihashi
Isao Kimura
Takeshi Katō
, the mastermind and chief instigator of the kidnapping plot.
Tsutomu Yamazaki
the Chief of the Investigation Section
Takashi Shimura
Manager of Investigations
Susumu Fujita
Yoshio Tsuchiya
Did You Know?
Akira Kurosawa has directed 6 films in our catalog, including Seven Samurai, Ran.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Toshirô Mifune appears in 4 films in our catalog, including Seven Samurai, Yojimbo.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
The film was a box office success in Japan, garnering ¥460.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
High and Low holds 8.4/10 on IMDb (70,373 votes), 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 90/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.4/10 on IMDb (70,373 votes), 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 90/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is High and Low's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
High and Low holds a 97% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is High and Low's IMDb rating?+
High and Low has a 8.4/10 rating on IMDb from 70,373 votes.
What is High and Low's Metacritic score?+
High and Low has a Metascore of 90/100 on Metacritic.
Is High and Low good? What are critics saying?+
High and Low holds 8.4/10 on IMDb (70,373 votes), 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, 90/100 on Metacritic.
How long is High and Low?+
High and Low has a runtime of 143 min.
Who directed High and Low?+
High and Low was directed by Akira Kurosawa.
Where can I watch High and Low?+
High and Low is available to stream, rent, or buy on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, BFI Player.
Fan & Critic Buzz
Reviews indicate that some viewers initially found the movie uninteresting but were won over by its engaging storyline and strong performances once it got going. Others praised Criterion's release in 4K format for "excellent news". One viewer noted a film with an unspecified color cast, while others expressed enthusiasm for the first Akira Kurosawa film they've seen.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
I didn't take to this initially. The scenario reminded me a little of an episode of "Columbo" - a rather sterile, studio-set environment that came across as quite limiting. Once it gets going, though, it's one of the best crime thrillers I've seen in ages. It all centres around t…
CinemaSerf · 7/10A well worked, high stake crime thriller. The stakes are deeply personal to our main characters and puts them in an impossible situation. The performances and direction are very solid, the story is engaging and ultimately, it's a simple yet enjoyable film. Kurosawa comments on mo…
Zak_Jaggs · 8/10I’m always amazed at how a single film can be fundamentally characterized in multiple ways, but that’s understandable when the picture combines an array of diverse elements, each of which has a validity all its own that can subsequently lead to different overarching interpretatio…
Brent Marchant · 7/10
From the trailer's comments
To be released in September in 4k by Criterion, excellent news. Day one purchase, one of my fav films by Kurasawa.
@michaellazaar1838 · 7 likesI saw this film today for the first time at FACT Cinema, Liverpool. Tatsuya Nakadai is so cool in this film. This was also the first Akira Kurosawa film for me. I can’t wait to see more ❤
@xbulelo · 4 likesBit of a bluish caste on this, no?
@johncarvill5569 · 0 likes
