Release Date

May, 2nd, 1964

Running Time

90 min

Genre

Feature

Color

Color

Screening Format

-,HDCAM SR

Screen Size

Cinema Scope (1:2.35)

Sound Processing

-

[ Directed by ]

• ICHIKAWA Kon

[ Cast ]

• KATSU Shintaro
• ERI Chiemi
• FUNAKOSHI Eiji

[ Staff ]

• KURISU Tei ── Screenplay
• HANA Hajime ── Music
• MIYAGAWA Kazuo ── Cinematography

[ Production Company ]

DAIEI

[ Distributor (Japan) ]

DAIEI

[ Story ]

Happyaku "800" Machida, a taxicab driver, is a hero unknown and unsung. One day, he notices a hit-and-run truck and takes off after it, completely forgetting his fare who has a hard time keeping his seat as the car careens wildly until it catches the truck, but only after damaging the taxicab. Happyaku has done his duty as a true citizen, but is ordered to pay for the damage.
Realizing that siding with the weak against the strong does not pay, Happyaku goes for a drink. There is only one young waitress and she is having a hard time filling orders and guarding against the men's practical jokes.
When a man trips the girl, Happyaku jumps up and a free-for-all soon starts. Too busy fighting, he does not notice the two men in a corner who are watching him.
When Happyaku starts for home, a stranger offers him a ride. He refuses, is conked on the head, and dragged into a car which speeds off. When he comes to, he finds himself with Edo, Hime and another man who calls himself Horikawa.
They confess they kill men who are a menace to society, and offer him 300,000 yen a month to help them. The pay, as well as the thought of getting rid of evil men, appeals to him.
But the three conceal the fact that they are working for a ruthless Big Boss, who commands them to kill one influential company head after another so as to take over their firms. But Happyaku is not quite as simple-minded as they think.
It slowly dawns on him that things are not quite the way the three men had told him and he starts a crusade of his own in a one-man clean-up of Tokyo, the city he loves.

【Quoted from the database of Kadokawa Corporation】
【Quoted from Unijapan Film Quarterly 1964 7.3】

[ Contact (International) ]

KADOKAWA CORPORATION
International Sales, Motion Picture Business
2-13-3 Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8177
Rep: NATSUNO Takeshi (President)
Attn: MORI Chiyo
tel: +81 50 1746 1220
E-mail: mori-c@kadokawa.jp
http://www.kadokawa.co.jp