Detective Story (Japanese: 探偵物語, Hepburn: Tantei Monogatari) is a 1983 Japanese film directed by Kichitaro Negishi.
Contents
Synopsis
Naomi is a rich university student about to leave on a trip to America. Her father hires detective Shuichi Tsujiyama to watch over her, a situation that pleases neither Naomi or Shuichi. Things get complicated when Shuichi's ex-wife is suspected in the murder of a love hotel manager. Naomi and Shuichi join up to investigate the murder which may involve yakuza gangsters.
Cast
Hiroko Yakushimaru as Naomi Arai
Yūsaku Matsuda as Shuichi Tsujiyama
Risa Akikawa (秋川リサ) as Yukiko Naoki
Kyōko Kishida as Kimie Hasenuma
Yuki Kitazume (北詰友樹) as Yutaka Nagai
Miwa Sakagami (坂上味和) as Masako Shindo
Strong Kongō (ストロング金剛) as Wada
Noboru Mitani (三谷昇) as the Love hotel manager
Susumu Fujita as Gozo Kunizaki
Akiko Nakamura as Michiyo Kunizaki
Background
Detective Story, director Negishi's third mainstream film, was based on a novel by mystery writer Jirō Akagawa. Lead actor Yūsaku Matsuda also played the role of a detective (Shunsaku Kudo) in the 1979-1980 TV series Tantei Monogatari (Detective Story) but the film is unrelated to the TV series. The film was released in Japan on VHS tape in December 1989, and as a DVD in December 2000.
Reception
It became the number two Japanese film on the domestic market in 1983, earning ¥2.8 billion in distributor rental income, behind Antarctica, and also the second highest-grossing Japanese film of all time.
Awards and nominations
8th Hochi Film Award
Won: Best Actor – Yūsaku Matsuda