Drunken Angel (1948)

From Netflix: Set amidst the postwar rubble of American-occupied Japan, Akira Kurosawa's film noir centers on hard-living gangster Matsunaga (Toshiro Mifune) and the doctor (Takashi Shimura) who tries to save his life. After diagnosing Matsunga's tuberculosis, Dr. Sanada goes the extra mile to reform his self-destructive patient. Matsunga comes to respect Sanada, but ultimately his dark side leads him into a brutal battle with a mob boss (Reisaburo Yamamoto). 1948, 102 minutes

Recommended by Charles Katz