By William Benker
The Bad Sleep Well – 1960 – dir. Akira Kurosawa
Kurosawa’s neo-noir The Bad Sleep Well is a hybrid examination on the evil of revenge. Drawn by a thread of vengeance, each turn of events show that evil only grows more complex when driven by a sense of justice. While the film’s protagonist Nishi (Toshiro Mifune) reveals his vengeful pursuit through an embezzlement scandal that consumes his company, Kurosawa unravels the evil dimension that has trapped each and every character involved. It proves in the end that no matter what type of justice is sought after, the dirt it always on someone else’s hands. When all is said and done, the cleanest hands suffer the greatest loss.