Samurai Rebellion (1967)

Samurai Rebellion (1967)

starring Toshirō Mifune, Yôko Tsukasa, Gô Katô

directed by Masaki Kobayashi

in Japanese with English subtitles

121 minutes

In 1725, in Japan, Lord Masakata Matsudaira casts off Ichi (Yôko Tsukasa), his wife, soon after she gave birth to his son. Matsudaira orders samurai Isaburo Sasahara (Toshirō Mifune) to have his son Yogoro (Gô Katô) marry Ichi. Isaburo has serious doubts but ultimately and under duress agrees to the pairing. Ichi and Yogoro marry and have a daughter together but then, soon after Ichi gives birth, Matsudaira decides that he wants Ichi back.

Ichi has no interest in returning to Matsudaira. Yogoro and Isaburo stand by Ichi. Suga, Yogoro's mother, and Bunzo, his younger brother, side with Lord Matsudaira in the matter. Bunzo goes so far as to lead Ichi into a trap that results in her being kidnapped by Matsudaira's men. Getting Ichi back doesn't prove to be enough for Matsudaira. He wants Yogoro to beg him to take her back. Yogoro and Isaburo are enraged and accuse Lord Matsudaira of a number of crimes. Matsudaira tries ordering them to commit seppuku but they refuse.

Matsudaira's men attack the Sasahara home. Both sides in the dispute suffer losses. Isaburo goes on the run with his infant granddaughter but that leads to a confrontation with Tatewaki Asano, an old friend of his. Isaburo survives that fight only to be gunned down minutes later.

Thoughts

I first saw this movie on DVD in 2006. This time I watched it at the AFI Silver Theatre in 35mm. I remembered most of the key points of the movie but not all of them. 

This is an excellent movie although the ending didn't make me happy. I recall being very impressed by it the first time I saw it. All the actors were quite good.

Notes

I have seen at least a dozen movie in which Toshirō Mifune has appeared, including High and Low (1963) and Throne of Blood (1957). I have seen Yôko Tsukasa in one other movie, Yojimbo (1961). I have seen Gô Katô in one other movie, Sword of the Beast (1965). Tatsuya Nakadai played the part of Tatewaki Asano. There are several other actors in this movie that i have seen in other movies including Tatsuyoshi Ehara, Shigeru Kōyama, Tatsuo Matsumura, and Masao Mishima. 

The screenplay was written by Shinobu Hashimoto. He wrote the screenplays for a number of other well known films including The Seven Samurai (1954) and Ikiru (1952). The screenplay was based on a short story by Yasuhiko Takiguchi, who also wrote the story that was the basis for Harakiri (1962).

This is one of two films directed by Masaki Kobayashi that I have seen. The other is Harakiri (1962).