Big Time Gambling Boss is a low-key- largely blood and actionless Yakuza film from the late '60s. It’s a moodily captured affair that focuses more on strained loyalties, frayed trust, and (figurative) backstabbing. All making for a more thoughtful, wordy, and at points, art house-tinged take on the Yakuza crime film genre. Here from Radiance Films- a new British Boutique label focusing on the idiosyncratic & creatively adventurous side of cinema- is a Blu-Ray release of the film. With the disc features a HD print of the film, and a few extras.

Big Time Gambling Boss (aka Bakuchiuci: Sôchô Tobaku ) appeared in the year 1968, been released by Toei studios. It was directed Kagoshima, Japan-born Kôsaku Yamashita who between the early ’60s and early 1990s had sixty-seven film credits to his name. These went from action drama Unperishable Sword (1960), Love-hate drama regarding three sisters set in the Edo period Tales of the Inner Chamber (1968), WWII set drama Father of the Kamikaze (1974), and more than a fair few films within the Yakuza crime genre.
 
The film is set in Tokyo, in the year 1934. It opens with a high-ranking clan boss having a serious stroke- leaving him bedbound, with only facial expression and one-handed scrawled texts his only way of communication. So, a replacement needs to be found- with the prime candidate being loyal, respected, if rather subdued Shinjirô Nakai (Kôji Tsuruta)- he turns down the post, as he feels unfit for the role. He suggests that the job should go to Tetsuo Matsuda (Tomisaburô Wakayama)- but he is turned down by the clan, as he is presently in prison. So the less popular Kôhei Ishido (Hiroshi Nawa) the son-in-law of the boss who was taken down by the stroke, is fitted into the job
 
Fairly soon the brutish 'n' scar through his hairline Matsuda is out of prison- feeling very cheated not to been given the role of boss. Nakai tries to keep the peace as much as possible, following the clan's company line- but he also wants Matsuda to get the job. And as the film unfolds tension builds within the wider clan, as well as family and personal strains between Matsuda & Nakai.
 
The film largely plays like a moodier drama than a formal crime film. Yes, we do get jarring-yet-fleeting moments of action and brutality, but these make up maybe ten percent of screen time. With the main of the film focuses on the low-key intrigue revolving around the clan's inner workings, its politics and its shifting focus- and of course who should be the boss.
 
The film runs at one hour and thirty-four minutes, and it’s fair to say it’s a fairly slow-paced affair- though it does remain largely engaging, due to the twisting intrigue, the characterization & acting- with a few more arty and moody shots also adding class & interest to the whole thing.
 
Acting wise Tsuruta is well placed as his loyalties been pulled & pushed Nakai, giving a great nuanced performance. At the other end of the spectrum, we have Wakayama as the brutish Matsuda- who gives a much more physical performance. Other worthy mentions are Harumi Sone as the crudely hacked moustached and slippery-as-a-snake clan bureaucrat. And Sumiko Fuji as the fraught and tearful partner of Nakai. All in all, Big Time Gambling Boss is at the more thoughtful and moodier end of the Yakuza genre.
 
 

The new Blu-Ray features an HD transfer of the film- this looks clean and clear, with a good balance of colours. Extras wise on the disc we have two things- Ninkyo 101(14.35) which finds Mark Schilling, author of The Yakuza Movie Book giving a great overview of the Yakuza genre. He moves from its historic/ true live base to notable films in the genre going right up to 2018. Next, we have Serial Gambling (22.24) which finds genre expert Chris D talking about the film to hand, and how it compares to other Yakuza films. Of the two of these I’d say the first was the most interesting/ engaging- Mr D makes worthy points & observations, but his tone felt a little like a rather dull film lecture- so I’m afraid I did rather zone out at points. The finished release comes presented with a booklet of new writing on the film by author Stuart Galbraith IV, and critic Hayley Scanlon.

In conclusion, Big Time Gambling Boss is a worthy opening release from Radiance Films- and it looks like they have some distinctive titles lined up for release down the line. A film for those who enjoy the moodier & thoughtful side of Japanese gangster films.