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Movie poster: New Hoodlum Soldier Story: Firing Line (1972)
🎬 Movie

New Hoodlum Soldier Story: Firing Line

1972 · 92 min
6.9 / 10 · TMDB

The story is presented as a voiced-over narrative by Arita (Takahiro Tamura), speaking long after the events of the film. In a remote army base in Manchuria, near the Soviet border, long-serving corporal Arita hates the military and looks forward to the day he may leave. Although a university graduate, he has several times deliberately failed the exam for promotion and thus remains a corporal after four years' service.

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📋 Film Details

Original Title 新兵隊やくざ 火線
Year 1972
Country Japan
Director Yasuzō Masumura
Runtime 92 min.
Rating TMDB: 6.9/10 (13 votes)

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🎬 MovieFinder's Take

The film constructs its narrative around a voice-over reflection, framing the past events with a layer of weary hindsight. It explores themes of passive resistance and the quiet absurdity of life within a rigid military structure on the empire's fringe, relying on a strong central performance to carry its cynical heart.

What lingers after the credits is a poignant sense of futility and the quiet dignity of internal rebellion. A thoughtful, character-driven piece that prioritizes mood over action. — MovieFinder Editorial

Director: Yasuzō Masumura

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Best viewed as a late-night, contemplative character study.

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