The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (Ningen no joken)

  • Rated Not Rated
  • 3hr 28m

Find Movie Theaters & Showtimes

for
near
in
COMING SOON

Check back soon for more information.

Browse Local Theaters

Videos & Photos

Movie Info & Cast

Director:

Masaki Kobayashi, Masaki Kobayashi

Producer:

Shigeru Wakatsuki, Shigeru Wakatsuki

Writer:

Zenzo Matsuyama, Masaki Kobayashi, Zenzô Matsuyama, Masaki Kobayashi, Jumpei Gomikawa

Runtime:

3hr 28m

Synopsis

A Japanese pacifist, unable to face the dire consequences of conscientious objection, is transformed by his attempts to compromise with the demands of war-time Japan.

Cast

  • Tatsuya Nakadai
  • Michiyo Aratama
  • Tatsuya Nakadai
  • Chikage Awashima
  • Michiyo Aratama
  • Ineko Arima
  • Chikage Awashima
  • Keiji Sada
  • Ineko Arima
  • Keiji Sada
  • Sô Yamamura
  • Akira Ishihama
  • Kôji Nanbara
  • Seiji Miyaguchi
  • Tôru Abe

Letterboxd User Reviews

4.6
66.8K
59.6K
28.8K
RATINGS 1.4K FANS
4.6
  • Feb 5, 2013

    "You'll either be revealed as a murderer wearing the mask of humanism, or as one worthy of the beautiful name...'man'."

    1.4K Likes
    matt lynch
    matt lynch
    Jun 24, 2013

    I have experienced many films this year that have greatly enriched my life for having witnessed them; Mizoguchi, Bergman, Bertolucci, Teshigahara and Tarkovsky have all touched me more than most film-makers with masterfully significant works, but one auteur in particular…

    840 Likes
    Rod Sedgwick
    Rod Sedgwick
    Apr 8, 2021

    'I'm boarding this run-down truck, but you're trying to catch the train of humanism before it's too late. You seem willing to pay the fare, no matter how high.' I'll never not be fascinated by the Japanese, their open-mindedness to cross-examine themselves as a nation…

    578 Likes
    Lara Pop
    Lara Pop
  •
    Jan 9, 2021

    "Freedom? You must be a poet." - Prison Guard, Wow.... I honestly don't believe that I can do this film justice with a review so I'll simply say it's a really interesting and powerful script that's backed up by great performances and Masaki Kobayashi's masterwork.…

    535 Likes
    {Todd}
    {Todd}
    Mar 14, 2023

    Finally, a film that captures the complex struggles and emotions of being a Discord Mod

    490 Likes
    CinePhil
    CinePhil
    Mar 21, 2021

    Schindler's List, but better

    421 Likes
    Zegan
    Zegan
  •
    Feb 4, 2026

    I’m not the same person I was 207 minutes ago.

    408 Likes
    Percepta
    Percepta
    May 12, 2025

    Ah yes, this is how good movies can be. It’s nice to remember every now and then.

    367 Likes
    Joel Haver
    Joel Haver
    Jan 4, 2013

    The Human Condition is a 9 and a half hour long film journey, that I personally hail as the greatest film ever made. I'm not even sure where to begin. As the title suggests, the film has an underlying psychology about the human condition. Accompanied with some of the…

    270 Likes
    Robert Beksinski
    Robert Beksinski

Queue Community Reviews

92%
Community 564
❤️ LOVE
67%
👍 LIKE
25%
😐 MEH
8%
👎 DISLIKE
0%
Top Reviews
  • Kareem
    Kareem is "meh" on
    The Human Condition I: No Greater Love

    This didn't turn out the way I thought it would at all, and in a disappointing way. Didn't really like the first 2 hours they were aimless and repetitive, but the third act made up for it. Idk I guess just below like, or maybe I'll change it to like some other time. Killed all-

    1 1Y
    Wagner Freitas
    Wagner Freitas loved
    The Human Condition I: No Greater Love

    Just as I thought I had grasped every impressive story I come across something that makes me wrong and totally exceeds my expectations. This one is a war within every single one of us to make what's right, it's an incessant fight for life as well as love. It really is poetry!!!

    1M
    Daniel Gullekson
    Daniel Gullekson loved
    The Human Condition I: No Greater Love

    amazing movie with some very powerful writing.

    6M
  • Logan
    Logan loved
    The Human Condition I: No Greater Love

    “If I don’t, I’m no longer a human being”

    10M
    Zayd Farzad
    Zayd Farzad loved
    The Human Condition I: No Greater Love

    W

    3Y

Atom Users Reviews

No one has posted a user review yet.

Metacritic

tbd
metacritic
There are no critic reviews yet
tbd

USER SCORE (0)

There are no user reviews yet

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (Ningen no joken)?
The movie is 3hr 28min long.
What's The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (Ningen no joken) about?
A Japanese pacifist, unable to face the dire consequences of conscientious objection, is transformed by his attempts to compromise with the demands of war-time Japan.
Who's the cast of The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (Ningen no joken)?
  • Tatsuya Nakadai
  • Michiyo Aratama
  • Tatsuya Nakadai as Kaji
  • Chikage Awashima
  • Michiyo Aratama as Michiko
  • Ineko Arima
  • Chikage Awashima as Tôfuku Kin
  • Keiji Sada
  • Ineko Arima as Shunran Yô
  • Keiji Sada as Kageyama
  • Sô Yamamura as Okishima
  • Akira Ishihama as Chin
  • Kôji Nanbara as Kô
  • Seiji Miyaguchi as Kyôritsu Ô
  • Tôru Abe as Watarai Gunsô
Who's the director behind The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (Ningen no joken)?
Masaki Kobayashi and Masaki Kobayashi directed The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (Ningen no joken).
Who produced The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (Ningen no joken)?
Shigeru Wakatsuki and Shigeru Wakatsuki produced The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (Ningen no joken).