starring Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Ishihama, Shima Iwashita, Tetsuro Tamba
directed by Masaki Kobayashi
Hanshiro Tsugumo (Tatsuya Nakadai), in the year 1530, in an era when most samurai were being told that there services were no longer needed, knocks on the door of the powerful Iyi clan. He asks permission to end his life ritually and honorably via harakiri, in the clan's courtyard. They accept his request but before they allow him to go through with it, the man in charge tells him a story about Motome Chijiwa (Akira Ishihama), another samurai who visited the Iyi clan in the not too distant past with a similar request.
Tsugumo listens to the story patiently. Once the story has been told he is urged to proceed with harakiri but he insists on conditions of his own. While he is waiting for them to comply with his request he tells them about himself. They are suspicious and on several occasions urge him to just get it over with but he insists on telling his story and they ultimately allow him to do so.
It becomes clear as his story unfolds that Chijiwa wasn't just another samurai but Tsugumo's son-in-law. It also becomes clear that Tsugumo didn't come there solely to kill himself.
Thoughts
This is the second time I have seen this movie. I last saw it almost 20 years ago. My recollection was that it was a tale of revenge but after this viewing I don't think it is quite that simple.
Sometimes the good guys don't win. This is one of those films. It is very much about someone challenging the system and losing.
There is probably a deeper context here that isn't known to me.
If I have one bone to pick with the plot it is that I don't understand why they let Tsugomo in the door. They act as if they don't know him but later in the film it seems as though they must have had some idea of who he was and that he had a connection to Motome Chijiwa
Excellent film.
Notes
I've seen the lead actors and all of the actors who played named characters in other movies. This is one of two movies directed by Masaki Kobayashi that I have seen.
07/14/26 - 23:10
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