Minbo no onna (1992)

Juzo Itami’s rollicking yakuza thriller Minbo no onna (1992) was so reviled by the real-life Japanese mob, that one underworld thug actually stabbed Itami after the Japanese premiere. The director thankfully survived, but it’s a testament to how effective his dramatic treatment of organized crime really is. Itami’s film tells of a hotel manager (Akira Takarada) who’s put in a bind when his upscale Tokyo resort becomes a popular hangout for yakuza toughs. In an effort to clean up the hotel’s image, the manager goes on the warpath against the heavies who call his lobby their home. Itami’s assessment of crime in Japan is scathing, but that assassin who stabbed him should have simmered down and enjoyed the sights. Case in point: Mirei Asaoka, who makes a scantily clad appearance as an underworld femme fatale.