History Film / TheYakuza

* ChekhovsBoomerang: Hanako tells Dusty about the yakuza custom of cutting one's finger. Later, we see Ken following this tradition and cutting his finger in front of Goro. [[spoiler:Then, Kilmer also cuts one of his fingers to apologize to Ken.]]

** HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Dusty admits that he knew all along what Tanner was up to, and asks to make it up to Kilmer.]]

The film was written by Paul Schrader and his brother Leonard. Paul would notably go on to write TaxiDriver. Rewrites were also undertaken by Robert Towne who wrote Film/{{Chinatown}}.

Harry and Tanner's friendship goes back to WorldWarII, when they served together as Marines in Japan. While in Japan, Harry had fallen in love with a local woman, Eiko, and helped save her sick daughter. Eiko's brother Ken was disgraced by his sister's relationship with a former enemy soldier and he disappeared into the yakuza underworld. However, since Ken owes a lifelong debt (called ''[[PillarsOfMoralCharacter giri]]'' in the movie) to Harry, he reluctantly joins them to help rescue Tanner's daughter.

''TheYakuza'' is a 1974 film directed by Creator/SydneyPollack. (Retired) detective Harry Kilmer (Creator/RobertMitchum) goes to Japan to help out an old friend, George Tanner (Creator/BrianKeith), who had been dealing with the {{yakuza}}. The {{yakuza}} had kidnapped his daughter and her boyfriend to [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse coerce Tanner into a business deal]].

* {{Kendo}}

* OnlyICanKillHim: [[spoiler: Ken has to kill Tono (and only with a sword) while Tanner demands the right to take care of Tanner himself.]]

* CampingACrapper: Averted; serveral Yakuza thugs follow Ken into the mens room of a nightclub. He's waiting for them behind the door, but they only want to talk.

* BornInTheWrongCentury: Ken

* TheStoic: Ken is actually referred to as The Man Who Never Smiles.

* MeaningfulEcho: "Please accept this token of my apology."

* AsianBabymama: Harry is not Hanako's biological father, but he acts like her adoptive one. Of course, true to his roots, Kilmer hasn't seen either Eiko or Hanako in twenty years, instead choosing to go back to America when his service was up.

* GunsAkimbo: In the FinalBattle, Kilmer wields a Colt .45 and a double-barreled shotgun.

* ClothingDamage

* FedoraOfAsskicking

* OnlyICanKillHim: [[spoiler: Ken has to kill Teno (and only with a sword) while Tanner demands the right to take care of Tanner himself.]]

* WallOfWeapons: In Wheat's house.

* OhCrap (to go with MyGodWhatHaveIDone)

* {{Yubitsume}}

''TheYakuza'' is a 1974 film directed by Creator/SydneyPollack. (Retired) detective Harry Kilmer (Creator/RobertMitchum) goes to Japan to help out an old friend, George Tanner (Brian Keith), who had been dealing with the {{yakuza}}. The {{yakuza}} had kidnapped his daughter and her boyfriend to [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse coerce Tanner into a business deal]].

''TheYakuza'' is a 1974 film directed by Sydney Pollack. (Retired) detective Harry Kilmer (Robert Mitchum) goes to Japan to help out an old friend, George Tanner (Brian Keith), who had been dealing with the {{yakuza}}. The {{yakuza}} had kidnapped his daughter and her boyfriend to [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse coerce Tanner into a business deal]].

The film was written by Paul Schrader and his brother Leonard. Paul would notably go on to write TaxiDriver. Rewrites were also undertaken by Robert Towne who wrote {{Chinatown}}.

''TheYakuza'' is a 1974 film directed by Sydney Pollack. (Retired) detective Harry Kilmer (RobertMitchum) goes to Japan to help out an old friend, George Tanner (Brian Keith), who had been dealing with the {{yakuza}}. The {{yakuza}} had kidnapped his daughter and her boyfriend to [[AnOfferYouCantRefuse coerce Tanner into a business deal]].

* AsianBabymama: Harry is not Hanako's biological father, but he acts like her adoptive one.

* [[DisposableWoman Disposable Women]]

* FaceHeelTurn: [[spoiler: Tanner betrays Kilmer]]

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Kilmer at TheReveal, and Ken when he [[spoiler: accidentally kills his nephew in the final battle]]
** [[spoiler: It's not so much that Ken accidentally killed his nephew, but he HAD to kill his nephew for killing his daughter]].

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Kilmer had brought a rookie as his partner, who is badly injured in the battle with the yakuza. The film does not say whether he was killed or returned to America.
** He was killed. He was stabbed through the chest with a katana, what do you think happened to him!?