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The Key

Original title: Kagi
  • 1959
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
The Key (1959)
JapaneseDark ComedyComedyDrama

A man getting on in years sets out to find a way to resurrect his flagging virility.A man getting on in years sets out to find a way to resurrect his flagging virility.A man getting on in years sets out to find a way to resurrect his flagging virility.

  • Director
    • Kon Ichikawa
  • Writers
    • Keiji Hasebe
    • Kon Ichikawa
    • Jun'ichirô Tanizaki
  • Stars
    • Machiko Kyô
    • Ganjirô Nakamura
    • Junko Kanô
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    1.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Kon Ichikawa
    • Writers
      • Keiji Hasebe
      • Kon Ichikawa
      • Jun'ichirô Tanizaki
    • Stars
      • Machiko Kyô
      • Ganjirô Nakamura
      • Junko Kanô
    • 9User reviews
    • 18Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 4 wins & 2 nominations total

    Photos13

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    Top Cast24

    Machiko Kyô
    Machiko Kyô
    • Ikuko Kenmochi
    Ganjirô Nakamura
    Ganjirô Nakamura
    • Kenji Kenmochi
    Junko Kanô
    • Toshiko Kenmochi
    Tatsuya Nakadai
    Tatsuya Nakadai
    • Kimura
    Tanie Kitabayashi
    Tanie Kitabayashi
    • Hana
    Ichirō Sugai
    Ichirō Sugai
    • Masseur
    • (as Ichirô Sugai)
    Mantarō Ushio
    Mantarō Ushio
    • Dr. Kodama
    • (as Mantarô Ushio)
    Kyū Sazanka
    Kyū Sazanka
    • Curio Dealer
    • (as Kyû Sazanka)
    Mayumi Kurata
    • Koike
    Hikaru Hoshi
    • Police Detective
    Saburô Date
    Saburô Date
    • Police Detective
    Shizuo Chûjô
    • Police Detective
    Jun Hamamura
    Jun Hamamura
    • Dr. Sôma
    Kōichi Itō
      Kanji Kawara
      Eiichi Takamura
      Tatsuo Hanabu
      Tatsuo Hanabu
      Kenji Ōyama
        • Director
          • Kon Ichikawa
        • Writers
          • Keiji Hasebe
          • Kon Ichikawa
          • Jun'ichirô Tanizaki
        • All cast & crew
        • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

        User reviews9

        6.81.1K
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        Drama

        Storyline

        Did you know

        • Quotes
          • [first lines]
          • [English subtitled version]
          • Kimura: [breaking the fourth wall in talking directly into the camera] Man's aging is believed to begin at the age of ten. Eyes begin to lose their elasticity at ten. Ears begin to dull at twenty. Man's eyesight begins to weaken at forty. His sense of taste becomes blunt at fifty. His sense of smell abates at sixty. Then, at seventy, he loses two-thirds of his physical functions. This theory says a man becomes twelve millimeters shorter every twenty years. This theory may not be conclusive. Yet no one can escape the effects of aging. It is inevitable. You too.
          • Kimura: [after smiling and laughing] This is the interesting case of a pathetic man who attempted to fight aging. He's not a complete stranger to me.
          • [the scene opens up to show that Kimura is in his medical office with middle-age patient, Kenji Kenmochi, about who he was speaking]
        • Connections
          Featured in I nyhta me ti Silena (1986)

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        Details

        • Release date
          • May 12, 1961 (United States)
        • Country of origin
          • Japan
        • Language
          • Japanese
        • Also known as
          • Anahtar
        • Production companies
          • Daiei Kyoto
          • Daiei Studios
        • See more company credits at IMDbPro

        Tech specs

        • Runtime
          • 1h 47m(107 min)
        • Aspect ratio
          • 2.35 : 1

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