The Human Condition (1959): reparto, argumento y streaming

Released in 1959, The Human Condition is a drama and historia film directed by Masaki Kobayashi, running about 570 minutes. “Man's inhumanity to man” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. This mammoth humanist drama by Masaki Kobayashi is one of the most staggering achievements of Japanese cinema. Originally filmed and released in three installments of two parts each, the nine-and-a-half-hour The Human Condition, adapted from Junpei Gomikawa’s six-volume novel, tells of the journey of the well-intentioned yet naive Kaji—played by the Japanese superstar Tatsuya Nakadai—from labor camp supervisor to Imperial Army soldier to Soviet prisoner of war. Constantly trying to rise above a corrupt system, Kaji time and again finds his morals to be an impediment rather than an advantage. A raw indictment of Japan’s wartime mentality as well as a personal existential tragedy, Kobayashi’s riveting, gorgeously filmed epic is novelistic cinema at its best.

Who’s in it. The Human Condition stars Tatsuya Nakadai as Kaji, Michiyo Aratama as Michiko, Chikage Awashima as Tôfuku Kin and Ineko Arima as Shunran Yô, among others.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Human Condition page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Human Condition tend to enjoy Cadena perpetua, El padrino, La lista de Schindler and El padrino II.