A straight-laced detective quickly frays when his gun is stolen on the bus home, leading him on a slow chase across Tokyo during a heatwave – and leading modern cinema to the genesis of police procedurals. Akira Kurosawa's STRAY DOG is noir with a heart, pulp with a conscience, and drama scarred with the impact of World War II on three generations of Japanese society. In this episode, we argue that STRAY DOG could be Kurosawa at his best, leanest, and most sincere.

Theme: "Raindrops" by Huma-Huma/"No Smoking" PSA by John Waters.