棒の哀しみ (1994): Besetzung, Handlung & Streaming

Released in 1994, 棒の哀しみ is a drama film directed by Tatsumi Kumashiro, running about 123 minutes.

What it’s about. Tanaka is a yakuza who collects 'protection money' from establishments. He has just been released from jail, where he had spent eight years, and finds out that his boss wants to get rid of him. Tanaka is not an archetypal yakuza; he travels by public transport. But he does have two mistresses: Ayumi, who runs a nightclub, and Yoshie, a brothel-keeper. When Tanaka's boss ends up in hospital, second man Kurauchi exerts increasing pressure on Tanaka. Tanaka deliberately has himself wounded by a fighter to dodge several of Kurauchi's demands.

Who’s in it. 棒の哀しみ stars Eiji Okuda, Eiko Nagashima, Reiko Takashima and Show Aikawa, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.6/10, 棒の哀しみ 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 棒の哀しみ page.

If you liked it. Fans of 棒の哀しみ tend to enjoy Die Verurteilten, Der Pate, Schindlers Liste and Der Pate - Teil II.