Lower Class

Directed by Akira Kurosawa and Hideo Oguni, it is adapted from Gorky's play of the same name. A craftsman, a nighthawk, a sugar seller, a playboy, an actor, a thief, a pilgrim, and many others living in a sunless tenement house at the end of Edo (now Tokyo) are intertwined with an unlovable landlord and his wife to form a dry depiction of life. The film was made in a short time frame and on a low budget, which was unusual for Kurosawa. Tired of the long production lead time and huge production costs, Toho asked Kurosawa to produce the film himself. It is said that Kurosawa only made one outdoor set and one indoor set, which were carefully rehearsed and shot with several cameras at the same time.