The Quiet Duel has become even more interesting to watch in these times when safe sex is mandated. Later in the film we see Narada become more deranged from the effects of his untreated illness. There is also discussion about how syphilis has effected Narada's unborn baby. There is a scene where Mifune is anguished over his enforced celebacy since becoming infected. I had to wonder if condoms were not available in Japan during this time. The title of the film refers to Kyoji dealing with his conflicts as calmly as possible.

Even if certain aspects of the narrative are questionable, The Quiet Duel shows Kurosawa under the influence of Ford, Wyler and especially Welles, with an emphasis on depth of field cinematography. In the DVD supplement, a cinematography crew member explains how a special lens was created for use in the film. Keeping in mind that Japanese studios lacked the film stock or equipment that was standard in Hollywood at this time makes the visuals in The Quiet Duel even more astounding. The composition of shots, such as above, resemble that of Wyler's Dodsworth in the use of a literal framing device.

The film, which co-stars Kurosawa favorite Takashi Shimura, suffers from moments of bathos - just a bit too tearful, too sentimental, and at times too noble. This may have been due to the producers' demands as this was made before Kurosawa had complete control over his films. Still, a minor Kurosawa film is still a Kurosawa film, which should be reason enough to see The Quiet Duel.