The Lower Depths
Residents of a rundown boardinghouse in 19th-century Japan, including a mysterious old man and an aging actor, get drawn into a love triangle that turns violent. When amoral thief Sutekichi breaks off his affair with landlady Osugi to romance her younger sister, Okayo, Osugi extracts her revenge by revealing her infidelity to her jealous husband.
Where to watch The Lower Depths in United States
Criterion ChannelClick a service to open The Lower Depths there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.
Where is The Lower Depths streaming around the world?
| Country | Streaming on | Rent / Buy |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Criterion Channel | — |
| United Kingdom | — | Apple TV Store, Amazon Video |
| Canada | Criterion Channel | — |
| France | — | Canal VOD |
| Spain | Filmin | — |
| Japan | U-NEXT | Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies |
About The Lower Depths
The Lower Depths is a 1957 Japanese-language drama film directed by Akira Kurosawa. The cast is led by Toshirō Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Kyōko Kagawa. It has a runtime of 2h 5m. Viewers rate it 7.1/10 across 100 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.
The Lower Depths was produced by TOHO and made in Japan. It was released on October 1, 1957, and carries a PG certification.
- Director
- Akira Kurosawa
- Writers
- Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni
- Release date
- October 1, 1957
- Original language
- Japanese
- Age rating
- PG
- Status
- Released
- Country
- Japan
- Production
- TOHO
The Lower Depths cast & crew
The Lower Depths was directed by Akira Kurosawa and written by Akira Kurosawa and Hideo Oguni.
The cast features Toshirō Mifune as Sutekichi the Thief, Isuzu Yamada as Osugi the Landlady, Kyōko Kagawa as Okayo, Osugi's Sister, Ganjirō Nakamura II as Rokubei, Osugi's Husband, Minoru Chiaki as Former Samurai, and Kamatari Fujiwara as The Actor.
Behind the camera, the score was composed by Masaru Satō, cinematography is by Kazuo Yamasaki, and it was produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka and Akira Kurosawa.
Is The Lower Depths worth watching?
The Lower Depths holds an audience score of 7.1/10 from 141 ratings, marking it as well-reviewed drama films.
At 2h 5m, it's a standard feature-length watch.
If you enjoy drama, The Lower Depths is worth a place on your watchlist.
How and where to watch The Lower Depths
In United States, you can stream The Lower Depths on Criterion Channel. Click any service above to open it directly.
Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.
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Cast of The Lower Depths
Toshirō Mifune
Sutekichi the Thief
Isuzu Yamada
Osugi the Landlady
Kyōko Kagawa
Okayo, Osugi's Sister
Ganjirō Nakamura II
Rokubei, Osugi's Husband
Minoru Chiaki
Former Samurai
Kamatari Fujiwara
The Actor
Akemi Negishi
Osen the Prostitute
Nijiko Kiyokawa
Otaki the Candy-Seller
Kōji Mitsui
Yoshisaburo the Gambler
Eijirō Tōno
Tomekichi the Tinker
Haruo Tanaka
Tatsu
Eiko Miyoshi
Asa, Tomekichi's Wife
The Lower Depths — FAQs
▸Where can I watch The Lower Depths in United States?
The Lower Depths is streaming on Criterion Channel in United States.
▸Is The Lower Depths on Criterion Channel?
Yes — The Lower Depths is currently available on Criterion Channel in United States.
▸What language is The Lower Depths in?
The Lower Depths is originally in Japanese. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.
▸How long is The Lower Depths?
The Lower Depths runs 2 hours 5 minutes (125 minutes).
▸What is The Lower Depths rated?
The Lower Depths is rated PG. It holds a 7.1/10 audience score from 141 ratings.
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