What I would give to know only Japanese and watch this movie. You don't have to understand what Toshiro Mifune is saying to understand this movie.

Does war extend to the individual? Trained to kill or be killed, two adversaries face off. Each with his own fear that the other will succeed. Why didn't they kill each other when they had the chance? Because man is a social animal and he needs the company of others. To use a cliché - No man is an island.

And in the end conflict erupts. Not because of any innate difference between the two men - but because of how they define themselves in a greater scene. I am Japanese - you are American (and vice versa). Throw in the element of non-communication (neither spoke any of the other's language) and you have it.

Two great actors, a great script, a grand theme.

I saw this movie as a teenager and it has always stuck with me as you watch two enemies struggle with their beliefs and looking beyond what they think they know about the other side and even themselves. Great acting, writing and direction! Highly recommend this film!

This film shows the masculine drive to compete and persevere in proving one's alpha status to the point of absurdity. They are willing to torture each other to boost their own egos. As a woman watching this film, the whole first part was a shining example of the worst of the male gender.

Two women would more likely immediately recognize that since there's no one else there, they would benefit from collaborating and sharing resources. I'd like to see a female version of this film. There is no way that two females would keep up the hostility for as long as these two guys did. I suspect two women would either make friends quickly or if one of them remained hostile for awhile, the other would make a real effort to win her over and convince her to become friends as soon as possible.

On the other hand, the best of mankind was also on display, in that they did eventually figure out how to work together despite the lack of communication.

But again, I couldn't help imagining that two women would have quickly realized that they needed to teach each other to speak a bit of each other's language, and at the very least, said "my name is .........." which these guys apparently never got around to...

This is a classic film which I recommend but could be put in a time capsule to show some of the reasons why the human species becomes extinct, which it probably will, given the inability of men to make peace and keep the peace....