上を向いて歩こう (1962): Besetzung, Handlung & Streaming

Released in 1962, 上を向いて歩こう is a drama film directed by Toshio Masuda, running about 92 minutes.

What it’s about. Kawanishi Kyu and Tomoda Ryoji, two waifs, are inmates of a Reform School. One night, the boys succeed in a mass escape and split up. Kyu and Ryoji hear the sirens shrieking behind them and panic. Kyu pretends he has been hit by a small truck and Ryoji demands that they be taken to a hospital, little dreaming that Nagai, the driver, is the official guardian of juveniles. The next morning the two boys hear a light knock, and Nagai's daughter, Noriko enters, but surprise is changed to fear as they see her father approaching with Kume, the Juvenile Officer. Their one thought is escape but Kyu discovers his leg is stiff and it pains him to move. In the excitement, he had not realized he had really been hit by the truck. He sends Ryoji away while he waits alone for Officer Kume. Nagai takes Kyu under his wing, while Ryoji finds himself again in the hard-boiled world.

Who’s in it. 上を向いて歩こう stars Kyū Sakamoto as Kyô Kawanishi, Mitsuo Hamada as Ryôji Tomoda, Sayuri Yoshinaga as Noriko Nagai and Tomoko Watanabe as Mitsuko Nagai, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.0/10, 上を向いて歩こう has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch 上を向いて歩こう page.

If you liked it. Fans of 上を向いて歩こう tend to enjoy Die Verurteilten, Der Pate, Schindlers Liste and Der Pate - Teil II.