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The Yakuza

The Yakuza

A man never forgets. A man pays his debts.

19747.11h 52m

Overview

When George Tanner does business with high-ranking Yakuza Tono, Tono kidnaps his daughter, and George summons his old friend, private eye Harry Kilmer, to Japan to investigate.

Directed by Sydney Pollack
Written by Robert Towne, Paul Schrader, Leonard Schrader
Produced by Sydney Pollack
Box OfficeBudget: $5.0MRevenue: $1.5M

Top Cast

Robert Mitchum

Robert Mitchum

Harry Kilmer

Ken Takakura

Ken Takakura

Tanaka Ken

Eiji Okada

Eiji Okada

Tono

Herb Edelman

Herb Edelman

Wheat

Richard Jordan

Richard Jordan

Dusty

James Shigeta

James Shigeta

Goro

Keiko Kishi

Keiko Kishi

Eiko

Christina Kokubo

Christina Kokubo

Hanako

Kyōsuke Machida

Kyōsuke Machida

Kato

Brian Keith

Brian Keith

George Tanner

Themes & Keywords

japankidnappingyakuzamafia

About The Yakuza

The Yakuza is a crime, drama, thriller film released in 1974 exploring themes of japan, kidnapping, yakuza, mafia. Directed by Sydney Pollack, it stars Robert Mitchum, Ken Takakura, Eiji Okada. When George Tanner does business with high-ranking Yakuza Tono, Tono kidnaps his daughter, and George summons his old friend, private eye Harry Kilmer, to Japan to investigate.

Movies Similar to The Yakuza

Discover titles like The Yakuza — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to The Yakuza

If you enjoyed The Yakuza, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of The Yakuza.

Black Rain
33% Match

Black Rain(1989)

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Two New York cops get involved in a gang war between members of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. They arrest one of their killers and are ordered to escort him back to Japan. However, in Japan he manages to escape, and as they try to track him down, they get deeper and deeper into the Japanese Mafia scene and they have to learn that they can only win by playing the game—the Japanese way.

A Family
30% Match

A Family(2021)

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Taken in by the yakuza at a young age, Kenji swears allegiance to his old-school boss, pledging to adhere to the family code amid ever-changing times.

The Godfather Part III
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The Silence of the Lambs
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Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.

Prisoners
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Prisoners(2013)

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Keller Dover is facing every parent’s worst nightmare. His six-year-old daughter, Anna, is missing, together with her young friend, Joy, and as minutes turn to hours, panic sets in. The only lead is a dilapidated RV that had earlier been parked on their street.

Fargo
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Fargo(1996)

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Jerry, a small-town Minnesota car salesman is bursting at the seams with debt... but he's got a plan. He's going to hire two thugs to kidnap his wife in a scheme to collect a hefty ransom from his wealthy father-in-law. It's going to be a snap and nobody's going to get hurt... until people start dying. Enter Police Chief Marge, a coffee-drinking, parka-wearing - and extremely pregnant - investigator who'll stop at nothing to get her man. And if you think her small-time investigative skills will give the crooks a run for their ransom... you betcha!

Bound
27% Match

Bound(1996)

Movie7.2/10

Corky, a tough female ex-convict working on an apartment renovation in a Chicago building, meets a couple living next door, Caesar, a paranoid mobster, and Violet, his seductive girlfriend, who is immediately attracted to her.

Alpha Dog
27% Match

Alpha Dog(2006)

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Johnny Truelove likes to see himself as tough. He's the son of an underworld figure and a drug dealer. Johnny also likes to get tough when things don't go his way. When Jake Mazursky fails to pay up for Johnny, things get worse for the Mazursky family, as Johnny and his 'gang' kidnap Jake's 15 year old brother and hold him hostage.

Road to Perdition
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Mike Sullivan works as a hit man for crime boss John Rooney. Sullivan views Rooney as a father figure, however after his son is witness to a killing, Mike Sullivan finds himself on the run in attempt to save the life of his son and at the same time looking for revenge on those who wronged him.

The Air I Breathe
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A gambler’s bet spiraling into chaos, a gangster's prophetic visions, a pop star’s dark entanglement, a doctor’s desperate race against time to rescue his beloved... Four interconnected stories reveal life unfolding through four emotional pillars — joy, passion, grief, and love.

The Departed
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To take down South Boston's Irish Mafia, the police send in one of their own to infiltrate the underworld, not realizing the syndicate has done likewise. While an undercover cop curries favor with the mob kingpin, a career criminal rises through the police ranks. But both sides soon discover there's a mole among them.

The Godfather Part II
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In the continuing saga of the Corleone crime family, a young Vito Corleone grows up in Sicily and in 1910s New York. In the 1950s, Michael Corleone attempts to expand the family business into Las Vegas, Hollywood and Cuba.

Reservoir Dogs
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A botched robbery indicates a police informant, and the pressure mounts in the aftermath at a warehouse. Crime begets violence as the survivors -- veteran Mr. White, newcomer Mr. Orange, psychopathic parolee Mr. Blonde, bickering weasel Mr. Pink and Nice Guy Eddie -- unravel.