Red Beard suffers from a loose overarching storyline (it was adapted from many short stories and it shows) where things sometimes progress sporadically, and certain significant plot details come into play surprisingly late, but good can be said about nearly everything else. Red Beard radiates the warm humanism that defines Akira Kurosawa‘s strength and appeal, and also contains some of the best, most subtle performances of the director’s career. Not an entry point, but fans will love this slow burner.