Loyal Samurai plot righteous revenge on the scheming official
responsible for the dishonor and execution of their honorable Samurai Lord.
Kenji Mizoguchi's elegant epic is a film of confrontation through ceremony,
plots concealed in veils of political feints, and vengeance patiently delayed
until honor can be satisfied. Such introspective drama may frustrate viewers anticipating
adrenaline-fueled combat--even the climactic battle is communicated entirely in
the breathless reading of a gripping dispatch.
The drama of Mizoguchi's film is
in the restrained poise of warriors reigning in their instinct to attack, the
arched eyebrows of cunning politicians playing games of brinkmanship over tea,
and the flowing camerawork and measured pacing of Mizoguchi's handsome
style.
Renowned by postwar scholars, "The 47 Ronin" is director Kenji
Mizoguchi's poetic and complex retelling of the classic Japanese legend. Unseen
in America until the 1970s, "The 47 Ronin" is a visually stunning work based on
"Mayama Chushingura," a cerebral play dealing with the tale of the loyal
Samurai.
DIRECTED BY: KENJI MIZOGUCHI
STARRING: KAWAZU SEIZABURO, ARASHI YOSHIZABURO, ICHIKAWA
UTAEMON
1941 - JAPANESE with OPTIONAL ENGLISH SUBTITLES - B&W -
FULLSCREEN - 222 MINUTES
