Kemono No Nemuri (aka The Sleeping Beast Within) (1960)

When a trading company employee (Shinsuke Ashida) mysteriously vanishes after returning to Japan after two years in Hong Kong, the man's daughter (Kazuko Yoshiyuki) and her journalist boyfriend (Hiroyuki Nagato) search for him. But when he suddenly pops up again, he seems secretive and quick to anger. Directed by Seijun Suzuki, this gritty noir-ish thriller isn't as edgy as Suzuki's best work but makes for a perfectly enjoyable thriller. Shot in monochromatic B&W scope by Shigeyoshi Mine, Suzuki explores the loyalties and betrayals of both family and lovers. Nagato's reporter must decide if the story he is following which is detrimental to his girlfriend's father takes precedence over their relationship while the father expects his family not to question his choices even if those choices could blow up in their faces (which it literally does eventually). If you're a Suzuki fan, this is a no brainer but even if you're not, there's a lot to admire here.