For Ms. Ishiyama, a college senior who will start working at a bank when she graduates, the film was a window onto the real world. And though gangster ties to businesses and banks have only recently become fodder for public outrage and discussion, Ishiyama is convinced that times have changed. The story centers on Hiroshi Kitano, a decent and hard-working middle manager who is appalled by the board of directors' vacillations when the gangster ties come to light. In a bid to save the bank, Kitano and three other like-minded managers launch an internal investigation and find a clean board member to replace the former president. For peering underneath Japan Inc., director Masato Harada is being rewarded with huge crowds and good reviews.
Plans are underway to show the film overseas as well.
Mr. Harada identified with the story in part because of his father's unhappy experiences as a banker. He says viewers are connecting with the film because it reflects their own experiences, as well as recent history. The film is based on a 1997 scandal surrounding a bank that made illegal loans to racketeers. The subsequent investigation uncovered corrupt practices throughout the banking industry. On a Web site chat room set up to promote the film, Harada says some 10,000 people a week logged on to write about parallels between the film and their own work experiences.