House of Bamboo

House of Bamboo, directed by Samuel Fuller and written by Harry Kleiner, is a gangster film set in postwar Tokyo, a remake of 20th Century Fox's 1948 The Street With No Name, made with the same writer and cinematographer (Joe MacDonald). It's noted as the first Hollywood film shot entirely on location in Japan, and the first film shot in CinemaScope there. Cast member Shirley Yamaguchi (real name Yoshiko Yamaguchi) had a remarkable career of her own: during the war, she appeared in Japanese propaganda films under the name "Li Xianglan," believed to be Chinese, and narrowly escaped a treason trial in postwar China when her real Japanese identity was revealed. The film premiered in New York on July 1, 1955, grossing 1.7 million dollars, and holds an 83 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Who it's for: anyone curious about the first Hollywood film shot entirely on location in Japan, featuring a cast member who narrowly escaped a wartime treason trial. Who it's not for: viewers wanting a studio bound, artificial depiction of Japan, since the film was shot on the real streets of Tokyo and Yokohama.