# High and Low (1963) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/high-and-low-1963/
Last reviewed: 2026-07-23

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 84% |
| Critic Score | 86% |
| Audience Score | 88% |
| Metascore | 80/100 |
| Letterboxd | 4/5 |
| IMDb | 8.4/10 |
| Director | Akira Kurosawa |
| Genres | Drama, Crime, Thriller |
| Runtime | 142 min |

## Quick answer

High and Low (1963) earns a 84% Celluloid Score — Recommended. IMDb Top 250 #72 (8.4/10) — High and Low remains one of the most highly rated films of all time. Metascore 80/100. Directed by Akira Kurosawa.

## Critics consensus

IMDb Top 250 #72 (8.4/10) — High and Low remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

## Synopsis

A Yokohama shoe executive faces a wrenching choice when kidnappers mistakenly seize his chauffeur’s son but demand the ransom anyway.

## Cast

Toshirō Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Kyōko Kagawa, Tatsuya Mihashi, Isao Kimura, Kenjirō Ishiyama, Takeshi Katō, Takashi Shimura, Jun Tazaki, Nobuo Nakamura

## Common questions

**Is High and Low worth watching?**
High and Low holds a 84% Celluloid Score. IMDb Top 250 #72 (8.4/10) — High and Low remains one of the most highly rated films of all time.

**What is High and Low about?**
A Yokohama shoe executive faces a wrenching choice when kidnappers mistakenly seize his chauffeur’s son but demand the ransom anyway.

**Who directed High and Low?**
High and Low (1963) was directed by Akira Kurosawa.

**What is the Celluloid Score of High and Low?**
84% — the average of five public sources: critics 86%, audience 88%, Metascore 80/100, Letterboxd 4/5, and IMDb 8.4/10.

**Where can I watch High and Low?**
Streaming availability varies by region — see the High and Low page for current options.

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Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

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