#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE
In Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Low, the kidnapper, Ginjiro Takeuchi, is sentenced to death, but he does not die on screen. The film ends just moments before his execution is to be carried out.
The final scene provides the following specific details:
- The Meeting: At Takeuchi’s request, the protagonist, Kingo Gondo, visits him in prison. Takeuchi is behind a thick wire mesh screen.
- Takeuchi’s State of Mind: Takeuchi attempts to remain cold and defiant. He explains his motive—that from his cramped, sweltering room in the slums, he looked up at Gondo’s house on the hill and hated him for living in "heaven" while he lived in "hell."
- The Breakdown: As the conversation progresses, Takeuchi’s composure shatters. He begins to tremble uncontrollably and eventually suffers a hysterical breakdown, screaming and grabbing at the wire mesh. He is terrified of the death that awaits him.
- The Final Image: While Takeuchi is screaming in a state of psychological collapse, the prison guards pull down a metal shutter between the two men. The film ends abruptly with the sound of the clanking shutter, leaving Gondo staring at his own reflection in the metal.
While the movie concludes with Takeuchi still alive, it is made clear that his appeals have failed and his execution is imminent.
#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)
[1] The kidnapper is correctly identified as Ginjiro Takeuchi (played by Tsutomu Yamazaki). He is sentenced to death, primarily for the murder of his accomplices using heroin, though the execution itself is not shown.
[2] The film ends with Takeuchi on death row. The visit is framed as his 'last request,' implying the execution is imminent, though the exact timing (whether seconds or hours later) is left to dramatic implication.
[3] Gondo visits Takeuchi in prison at Takeuchi's request.
[4] The two men are separated by a wire mesh and glass partition in the prison visiting room.
[5] Takeuchi explains his motive: he lived in a hot, small room in the slums and hated Gondo's air-conditioned house on the hill, which he could see from his window.
[6] Takeuchi initially acts tough but eventually breaks down, shaking and screaming as the reality of his impending death sets in.
[7] His breakdown is explicitly linked to his fear of death, contradicting his earlier claim that he was not afraid.
[8] The scene ends with a metal shutter slamming down, physically separating the two men.
[9] The final shot is Gondo facing the closed shutter, seeing his own reflection. This is a famous visual emphasizing the film's themes of duality.
[10] Takeuchi is alive when the screen goes black, but the narrative context confirms he is about to be executed.
#C RELATED QUERIES
#01 Why was the kidnapper sentenced to death in High and Low?
#02 What is the significance of the reflection in the final scene of High and Low?
#03 Did the kidnapper kill anyone in High and Low?
In Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film *High and Low*, the kidnapper, **Ginjiro Takeuchi, is sentenced to death, but he does not die on screen.** The film ends just moments before his execution is to be carried out.
The final scene provides the following specific details:
* **The Meeting:** At Takeuchi’s request, the protagonist, Kingo Gondo, visits him in prison. Takeuchi is behind a thick wire mesh screen.
* **Takeuchi’s State of Mind:** Takeuchi attempts to remain cold and defiant. He explains his motive—that from his cramped, sweltering room in the slums, he looked up at Gondo’s house on the hill and hated him for living in "heaven" while he lived in "hell."
* **The Breakdown:** As the conversation progresses, Takeuchi’s composure shatters. He begins to tremble uncontrollably and eventually suffers a hysterical breakdown, screaming and grabbing at the wire mesh. He is terrified of the death that awaits him.
* **The Final Image:** While Takeuchi is screaming in a state of psychological collapse, the prison guards pull down a metal shutter between the two men. The film ends abruptly with the sound of the clanking shutter, leaving Gondo staring at his own reflection in the metal.
While the movie concludes with Takeuchi still alive, it is made clear that his appeals have failed and his execution is imminent.