Takashi Nomura’s A COLT IS MY PASSPORT is a bona fide hard-boiled classic! An excellent cast brings life to Yamada and Nagahara’s taut, economic script. Mine’s superb, noir-like cinematography is exemplary of the high quality level Nikkatsu Studios achieved, consistently, throughout the period of the late 1950’s and entire 1960’s. (even in their lower-budget “program pictures” such as this one). The film also sports a cool, hybrid music score—-part hip Lounge Jazz, part Italian Western. And the finale of the film is so stunningly staged that the viewer is not likely to forget it…ever! This is truly a must-see film for Japanese Action Cinema buffs.