The Inheritance () is a 1962 Japanese drama film directed by Masaki Kobayashi. The plot centres around a struggle between associates of a dying businessman for his fortune which he intends to leave for his three illegitimate children.
The film was nominated for and won the 1964 BAFTA United Nations Award.
Summary Senzo Kawahara is a wealthy businessman who discovers that he has cancer and only six months to live. He reveals to his associates that he has three missing illegitimate children and tasks them with finding them so that his wealth can be divided among whichever of the three descendants he deems worthy, while his wife will also receive her legally guaranteed portion. This sets off a struggle of scheming and deception as they attempt to appropriate all the money for themselves.
Reception Alexander Jacoby considered it to be an "uncharacteristically sardonic film, reminiscent of a Kon Ichikawa or Yasuzo Masumura satire, which exposed the purely commercial values of the selfish rich." Stephen Prince states:
The film received praise from Jacob Siskind in The Montreal Star.
The film was nominated for and won the 1964 BAFTA United Nations Award.
Cast Keiko Kishi as Yasuko, Kawahara's secretary Tatsuya Nakadai as Kikuo Furukawa, Yoshida's assistant Minoru Chiaki as Fujii, Kawahara's chief secretary Sō Yamamura as Senzo Kawahara, the dying businessman Misako Watanabe as Satoe, Kawahara's wife Seiji Miyaguchi as Yoshida, Kawahara's counsel Yūsuke Kawazu as Sadao, Kawahara's son Mari Yoshimura as Mariko, Kawahara's daughter Osamu Takizawa as Kyoichiro Kurayama, Attorney at Law Kōji Mitsui as photo studio customer (cameo) Tōru Abe as detective Jun Hamamura as Mariko's stepfather Kinzō Shin as Dr. Ishimado Noriko Sengoku as Sayo, former lover of Kawahara Kin Sugai as Sayo's friend Fumie Kitahara as Sadao's mother Ryūji Kita as Sadao's stepfather Fusako Maki as Mariko's mother Kei Satō as policeman Kunie Tanaka as thug
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