Red Beard's Influence on Scorsese and Taxi Driver

Many directors have described their admiration for one of the greatest directors in cinema history, Akira Kurosawa. His influence can stretch to George Lucas and his epic Star Wars which garnered its inspiration and structure from Kurosawa's "Hidden Fortress". Another director who has attributed much in his career to Kurosawa is Martin Scorsese (who gives a cameo as Vincent van Gogh in Yume – Kurosawa's "Dreams").

Scorsese's movie "Taxi Driver" details the story of a troubled anti-hero named Travis Bickle disgusted with the conditions of the city he lives in. He ends up saving a young 12-year old prostitute from the pimps who have begun to run her life. This aspect of the movie can be attributed to Kurosawa's influence on Scorsese and is seen in the film "Red Beard". In Kurosawa's film a young man who is upset with where he is at in his life (much like Travis Bickle) decides to save a young geisha who is entrapped by a cruel master; who is echoed by Harvey Keitel's character in "Taxi Driver". The young girl is the same exact age as Iris in Scorsese's film as well.

One of "Red Beards" most important cinematic themes is the rescue of this girl and her realization that there is better to life. No other film seems to depict this Kurosawa theme better than "Taxi Driver". The young geisha goes through a transformation under the young man's care and begins to understand life and how precious it can be. This is echoed by Iris who goes back to school and goes back the life suggested by her liberator Travis.