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Rebellion

Play trailer Poster for Rebellion 1967 2h 5m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Samurai Isaburo Sasahara (Toshirô Mifune) faces the wrath of his clan when he exhibits disobedience in favor of what is right. When the ruling lord forces his son, Ichi (Gô Katô), and his unwanted mistress (Yoko Tsukasa) into marriage, the two fall in love despite all expectations. However, when the callous ruler requests Ichi's return only two years later, Sasahara, unwilling to see his son and daughter-in-law torn apart, is prepared to fight for their union.

Critics Reviews

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Michael Sragow The New Yorker 05/11/2015
No one could seethe better than Mifune, but what gives the movie equal shares of exhilaration and heartbreak is the feeling that pours out of him ... Go to Full Review
Jeff Shannon Seattle Times 06/16/2006
3.5/4
The film's escalation of tension is almost unbearable, and Mifune erupts with a ferocity that's as righteous as it is ultimately tragic, for Kobayashi refuses to soften the film's devastating imbalance of power. Go to Full Review
Chuck Stephens Village Voice 08/16/2005
Austerely anti-authoritarian. Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews 09/22/2016
A-
A heart-felt action film that is eloquent and haunting in its reflections on the abuse of powers by the ruling class. Go to Full Review
Robert Roten Laramie Movie Scope 11/25/2008
C+
It is obvious that it will end in violence, but the violence is a long time coming. I kept wondering why they didn't just get on with it. Go to Full Review
Gabe Leibowitz Film and Felt 08/25/2005
92/100
As powerful, meditative, and gripping as anything Akira Kurosawa, Kenji Mizoguchi, Yasujiro Ozu, or other Japanese masters have created. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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sean O. @seandaddy0 Jan 24 Mifune and Nakadai in a classic See more Andrew G @MrJinx Jul 6 One of the all-time great films, and as good as any film by the Japanese masters. It's a slow burn fantastically acted movie about rules, tradition, honour, family and justice that is gripping from begining to end, but never quite goes where you expect it. It is very emotional and unforgettable with one of Toshiro Mifune's best performances. See more MariofanAlex445 06/28/2024 This film has a fantastic story, and a lot of great shots. Unfortunately though that doesn’t save it from being somewhat boring, when you watch a samurai movie you expect to see a lot of action. I know there is other intimate slow samurai flicks like the original 47 Ronin, but I feel the same way about that one too. Good movie but could have been better if there was more fighting. This story is kinda a Romeo and Juliet story too, so 4.5/5 stars. See more Dani G 02/16/2024 An intense samurai drama in the most typical fashion of Kobayashi, with two of the biggest japanese classic stars in Toshiro Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai See more Lars N @movie_douche 11/28/2023 Crazy pretty, heartfelt and flat out cool AF. See more Nawt W 10/10/2022 A very grim Kobayashi movie about defiance. Once again plucking on his country's obsession for rituals, rules, and hierarchy, he masterfully showcases the lowest of the low, the "cruelest form of tyranny," where duty and honor are somehow supposed to triumph over humanity and simple emotions.  It's all great. The cinematography makes a movie that 3/4 consists of interiors seem very lustrous and refreshing; the direction; the Japanese ambient; the characters.  Mifune and Nakadai are incredible as always. Even if Nakadai is a little bit underutilized for my liking.  Mifune's role is, by and large, the most fascinating part of the film. He is a father who projects his own unhappiness and life regrets over his son, nudging him to not betray his integrity and feelings even when he knows that he is definitely dooming his family. In the end, he sees this rebellion as a better sum total than just shuffling around the house lamenting his life choices and the lord chasing his family into the corner and stripping them of any dignity for no other reason but feudal optics. See more Read all reviews
Rebellion

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Movie Info

Synopsis Samurai Isaburo Sasahara (Toshirô Mifune) faces the wrath of his clan when he exhibits disobedience in favor of what is right. When the ruling lord forces his son, Ichi (Gô Katô), and his unwanted mistress (Yoko Tsukasa) into marriage, the two fall in love despite all expectations. However, when the callous ruler requests Ichi's return only two years later, Sasahara, unwilling to see his son and daughter-in-law torn apart, is prepared to fight for their union.
Director
Masaki Kobayashi
Producer
Toshiro Mifune, Tomoyuki Tanaka
Screenwriter
Shinobu Hashimoto
Production Co
Columbia
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date (Theaters)
May 27, 1967, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Oct 25, 2005
Runtime
2h 5m