Hakuchi (The Idiot)

Hakuchi (The Idiot) (1951)

  • 75% of critics liked it
    (8 reviews)

  • 74% of users liked it
    (1,790 ratings)

A former soldier is branded an idiot because of his epileptic seizures caused by wartime experiences. He shows unbridled compassion for people after he moves in with friends of his family as he tries to help a young man ruined by the war and a woman hounded by a wealthy but cruel suitor. All the… More

Unrated, 2 hr. 46 min.
Directed By
Akira Kurosawa
Written By
Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Eijiro Hisaita, Akira Kurosawa
Genres
Drama, Romance, Art House & International
In Theaters
Apr 30, 1963 Limited
On DVD
Jan 1, 1998
Shochiku Films of America

Critic Reviews

  • Dan Jardine, Cinemania

    Motivation switches on a dime, and the story takes the long way around to get anywhere it's going.

  • Louis Proyect, rec.arts.movies.reviews

    Hobbled mostly by the original material, a Dostoevsky novel, as well as an 80 minute cut imposed by the studio bosses, it is still worth seeing, especially for Kurosawa fans--this means everybody obviously.

  • Sean Axmaker, Turner Classic Movies Online

    Kurosawa's passion comes through in his creative solution to the challenge of long dialogue scenes... and in the gentle beauty of the snow-covered location footage...

  • Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

    There's a dreamlike quality to the story and the actors take on a trance-like state that fits the up-and-down emotional states of the volatile characters.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Lucas M


    Uma obra prima do mestre Kurosawa

  • danny d


    even though this is one of kurosawa's more criticized films, i really liked it quite a bit. the acting and incoherence of the plot are the things most often criticized, and while i agree the love story lost its focus a few times, i actually found the acting to be very engaging.… More

  • xGary X


    Akira Kurosawa's spin on Dostoyevsky sees a man traumatised by his war time experiences resulting in a new appreciation for life. His openness and honesty acts as a reflection of the hypocrisy and selfishness of those around him, some deriding him as an idiot and others hating… More

  • Gevvy S


    Having read Dostoevsky's novels, it would be very difficult for me to even imagine how to adapt one of them into a film and still have the essence of Dostoevsky's writing. Kurosawa's film, cut against his wishes, has a very gothic element which remains in memory long… More

  • Dimitris S


    Hara is the sheer benevolence of the film.You do await the breaking point just like the novel's mystical eccentricities.Kurosawa guides the dramatic community to far beyond limits and stretching a bleak,ominous,malevolent environment.A perfect cinematography and I will give it 6… More

Cast

See full cast

facebook_logo

Now you can share movies with your friends on Facebook!

  • Discover movies your friends are watching
  • Keep track of what you want to see
  • Add your reviews to your Timeline