Black Rain is a 1989 American action thriller film directed by Ridley Scott the film is now 20 years old.   The film begins showing Nick Conklin (Michael Douglas) a NYPD detective who is a skilled motorcyclist racing under the Manhattan bridge for money he wins the race and leaves to go to his ex wife’s house to see his kids.  He then rides his motorcycle to one of the local precincts  and as he approaches his partner and fellow detective Charlie (Andy Garcia) steps out from the pavement and holds out his coat out like a Spanish matador Nick stops and wheel spins his back Tyre creating smoke and then shots forward aiming for Charlies coat and then stopping.   At Nicks precinct he is facing possible criminal charges from Internal Affairs who believes Nick might have been involved with his former partner who was caught in a corruption scandal. Nick is divorced from his wife who has custody of their two children, Nick also has financial difficulties due to alimony and child support as well as other concerns.  While having a drink at a local Italian restaurant, Nick and Charlie observe two Japanese men having what appears to be a friendly lunch with some Italian gangsters.   Then another Japanese man enters the restaurant Sato (Yusaku Matsuda) with several armed henchmen and takes a small package from the leader of the Japanese group.  As Sato turns to leave, one of the Japanese men at the table says in Japanese The Oyabun (Godfather) will not stand for this.  Sato finds these remarks insulting and he slashes the man’s throat and stabs another in the chest and then leaves the restaurant.  Nick and Charlie follow immediately shots are exchanged and after a short chase Sato is arrested after he nearly kills Nick.  At the police station Nick finds out that the suspect is a Yakuza gangster by the name of Sato. The situation is further complicated when Nick’s superior Captain Oliver (John Spencer) tells him that Sato is to be extradited to Osaka and given to the authorities there. Nick is furious that Sato will not be tried for murder in the United States but follows orders, Nick and Charlie board a plane with Sato and fly to Osaka Japan.  When they arrive in Osaka Nick and Charlie wait on board the plane while the passengers disembark, they are then met by men identifying themselves as Japanese police and take Sato into their custody and leave the plane by the rear exit.   As Nick and Charlie are about to leave the plane themselves another group of police enter from the front and identify themselves in English, indicating that the first group were impostors.  Nick and Charlie are taken to Police headquarters in Osaka and questioned there they are blamed for Sato’s escape.  After much debate Nick and Charlie are allowed to stay in Osaka and observe the hunt for Sato.  However the senior police officer in Osaka emphasizes that they have no authority in Japan and are forbidden to carry their guns because they are outsiders they are assigned to Matsumoto a mild mannered and experienced officer who will be their guide.  During the investigation Nick breaches protocol several times offending Matsumoto he also makes contact with an American nightclub hostess Joyce (Kate Capshaw) who explains that the Japanese public believe that Nick and Charlie are not to be taken seriously because they allowed Sato to escape from custody.  Through her Nick also discovers that Sato is fighting a gang war with a crime boss Sugai (Tomisaburo Wakayama).  Sato used to be an enforcer for Sugai and now wants his own territory to rule.  Sato had traveled to New York to disrupt a meeting with American Italian gangsters about a counterfeiting scheme being set up by Sugai.   Late one night Nick and Charlie are walking back to their hotel slightly drunk when they are harassed by a young punk on a motorcycle, it seems to be a joke until the motorcyclist steals Charlie’s raincoat and leads Charlie into an underground parking garage.  Nick follows shouting for Charlie to come back but is separated from his partner by a security gate. Nick watches as Charlie is surrounded by more men on motorcycles, one of them is Sato he and several of his gang briefly torture Charlie using swords and knives and then Sato beheads Charlie.  Distraught by Charlies death Nick is comforted by Joyce at her apartment, Matsumoto arrives at Joyce s apartment with Charlies belongings which Matsumoto gives to Nick and tells him that it is a Japanese tradition that he choose one item from Nicks belongings, Nick chooses Charlies service pistol.   Matsumoto and Nick follow one of Sato’s operatives a young Japanese woman who retrieves a sample counterfeit note from a bank strongbox.   The woman passes the note to another of Sato’s men, Nick and Matsumoto tail the man to a steel mill where they find that Sato is meeting with Sugai.  Nick attempts to apprehend Sato after he leaves the meeting and a gunfight ensues.  Sato escapes again when Nick is arrested by the local police for waving a gun in public and told he will be sent back to New York in disgrace, Matsumoto is put on suspension by his captain for helping Nick. Nick boards the plane for New York but is able to sneak off to pursue Sato on his own he meets with Sugai and discovers that the package that Sato stole in New York contained a printing plate for the American $100 bill.  Sugai explains that making counterfeit U.S currency is his revenge for the bombing of Hiroshima, Nick suggests a deal where Sugai gets him close to Sato so he can kill him leaving Sugai’s reputation and hands clean.  Sugai drops Nick at the outskirts of a remote farm where a meeting of the oyabun and other crime bosses of is to take place.  Nick is supplied with a shotgun and makes his way own way to the meeting by foot and gets into position to witness the arrival of Sato as does Matsumoto who deduce that Sato’s men are planning a massacre once the meeting is over.  At the meeting Sato surrenders his single plate and requests recognition and his own territory,  however Sugai demands that Sato first pay tribute for his offenses in the traditional Yakuza way he is ordered to cut off one of his fingers.   As he does this he takes a subordinate position next to Sugai after which he stabs him in the hand and escapes with both the plates, prompting a gunfight between Sugai’s men and Sato’s men.  Sato escapes the fight on a dirt bike with Nick in hot pursuit, Nick is able to knock Sato off his bike and the two fight until Nick gains the advantage.   The scene ends with Nick having to decide whether or not to kill Sato for Charlie and for all the humiliation he has suffered.  The film ends with Matsumoto and Nick walking a handcuffed Sato into police HQ to the amazement of everyone and later receiving commendations, Nick thanks Matsumoto for his assistance and friendship and gives him a gift box as he boards the plane Matsumoto opens the box which contains a dress shirt and  Underneath the shirt is the two counterfeit printing plates.

Michael Douglas

Michael Douglas is an American actor his films include Coma (1978), The China Syndrome (1979), Running (1979), The Star Chamber (1983), Romancing the Stone (1984), The Jewel of the Nile (1985), A Chorus Line (1985), Fatal Attraction (1987), Wall Street (1987), Black Rain (1989), The War of the Roses (1989), Shining Through (1992), Basic Instinct (1992), Falling Down (1993), Disclosure (1994), The American President (1995), The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), The Game (1997), A Perfect Murder (1998), Wonder Boys (2000), Traffic (2000), Don’t Say a Word (2001), The In Laws (2003), The Sentinel (2006) and King of California (2007).   He is married to Welsh actress Catherine Zeta Jones they married in November 2000 and have two children together.

Andy García

Andy García is a Cuban American actor his films include Blue Skies Again (1983), The Mean Season (1985), 8 Million Ways to Die (1986), The Untouchables (1987), Stand and Deliver (1988), Black Rain (1989), Internal Affairs (1990), The Godfather Part III (1990), Dead Again (1991), Jennifer Eight (1992), When a Man Loves a Woman (1994), Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead (1995), Night Falls on Manhattan (1996), Hoodlum (1997), Desperate Measures (1998), Ocean’s Eleven (2001), Just Like Mona (2003), Ocean’s Twelve (2004), Smokin’ Aces (2006), Ocean’s Thirteen (2007) and The Pink Panther 2 (2009).  He has appeared in TV series such as For Love and Honor, Hill Street Blues, Murder She Wrote, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Frasier and Will & Grace.

Ken Takakura

Ken Takakura is a Japanese actor his films include Denkô ryûsei karate uchi (1956), Daigaku no Ishimatsu (1957), Kisetsufu no kanatani (1958), Kôdo nanasen metoru: kyôfu no yojikan (1959), Otoko nara yattemiro (1960), Akuma no temari uta (1961), Koi to Taiyo to Gang (1962, Jinsei gekijo hisha kaku (1963), Tôkyô gyangu tai Honkon gyangu (1964), Nihon Kyokaku den kanto hen (1965), Otoko no shôbu (1966), Kyokotsu ichidai (1967), Gorotsuki (1968), Nippon dabi katsukyu (1970), Gorotsuki mushuku (1971), Bokyo Komori uta (1972), Golgo 13 (1973), Mushuku (1974), Shinkansen daibakuha (1975), Shiawase no kiiroi hankachi (1977), Dôran (1980), Eki Station (1981), Kaikyô (1982), Yasha (1985), Black Rain (1989), Mr Baseball (1992), Poppoya (1999), Hotaru (2001) and Qian li zou dan qi (2005).

Kate Capshaw

Kate Capshaw is an American actress her films include A Little Sex (1982), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Best Defense (1984), Dreamscape (1984), Windy City (1984), Power (1986), SpaceCamp (1986), Black Rain (1989), Love at Large (1990), My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys (1991), Love Affair (1994), Just Cause (1995), How to Make an American Quilt (1995), No Dogs Allowed (1996), The Locusts (1997), Life During Wartime (1997) and The Love Letter (1999).  She has been married to director Steven Spielberg since 1991.

John Spencer

John Spencer was an American actor best known for his role as Leo McGarry the White House Chief of Staff on the NBC drama The West Wing. His films include Echoes (1983), WarGames (1983), The Protector (1985), Key Exchange (1985), Hiding Out (1987), Far from Home (1989), Sea of Love (1989), Black Rain (1989), Presumed Innocent (1990), Green Card (1990), Forget Paris (1995), The Rock (1996), Cop Land (1997), Cold Around the Heart (1997), Twilight (1998), The Negotiator (1998) and Ravenous (1999).  He has appeared in TV series such as Miami Vice, Another World, Law & Order, L.A Law, Lois & Clark The New Adventures of Superman and The West Wing.

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