Marco F
Perfection, a thrilling film to watch with a compelling story and intense moments. This is one of those films you have to see.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/13/24
Full Review
Matthew B
How often do we hear the news that the maker of a popular movie has caved in to public pressure, and made a sequel, in which the same actor plays the character from the last film? It is often the case that the sequel, though popular, is not thought to be as good as the first movie.
However when the writer and director of the movie is Akira Kurosawa, one can be sure that the resemblance stops there. Sanjuro is a sequel of sorts to Yojimbo, though some consider it to be a prequel, based on the historical events surrounding the story. In any case it once more features Sanjuro (Toshiro Mifune).
Sanjuro is not his real name. Sanjuro means "thirty years old". Even that is not true as Sanjuro wryly confesses to being closer to forty. In Yojimbo, he suggested that his name was Kuwabatake Sanjuro. However he clearly made up that name, when he was asked to give one, after seeing a mulberry field (Kuwabatake). In this film, he says his name is Tsubaki Sanjuro after looking at a camellia (Tsubaki) bush, which will play a part in the action.
In short, the ‘Samurai with no name' is back, but the sequel is no tired re-tread of the first film, telling the same story. Here Kurosawa opts to tell a different tale that is not even similar in tone to the first movie. Both stories contain much cynical humour, but in Yojimbo, it is of a more savage nature. Here the tone is often light-hearted and frivolous, which may cause some critics to consider the movie to be of comparatively little substance.
However there are serious themes beneath the comedy. The story concerns corrupt elders engaging in fraudulent practices, and the efforts by the local samurai to stop them. The samurai are convinced that the Chamberlain, Mutsuta (Yūnosuke Itō) is in league with the criminals, mainly because he has an ugly face. They do not doubt the honesty of the more physically pleasing Superintendent Kikui (Masao Shimizu).
The main contrast in the movie is that between Sanjuro and the local samurai. The nine warriors have little personality of their own. They all share the same traits. They are naïve and callow. They are obedient to authority. They are excitable and nervous. They are clueless. Their ideas are silly, and doomed to fail, and they constantly get in Sanjuro's way.
Even in appearance, posture and movement, the samurai are lacking in individual identity. They dress the same. They sit in straight lines. They move together in a mass of bodies. When they are upset they stand up in unison. They say the same things at the same time.
By contrast, Sanjuro stands out in any room. Compared to the rigid posture of the others, he is nonchalant and relaxed. He scratches, grunts, yawns or drops asleep. His clothes are grubby. He is a loner by nature, but he is forced to look after the other men because he feels sorry for them, and knows they will be helpless without him. They need his cynicism, his experience and imagination, and his capacity to think independently.
Nonetheless Sanjuro remains an unreformed killer throughout of the story. There are 27 killings in the film, all of them done by Sanjuro. This is his metier. Sanjuro does not enjoy killing for the sake of killing. When the interference of three of the naïve samurai forces his hand, he slaps the samurai across the face because he is angry that they made it necessary for him to cause more deaths than he intended.
After his last fight, Sanjuro can only walk away from the town. There is no place in a community for a man like him. He can only thrive where there is violence. Nonetheless despite his angry and violent parting words to the other samurai, they bow to him out of respect. For now there is still a need for a violent guardian to look after their world, and they respect the courage and resourcefulness of the man who protected them.
I wrote a longer appreciation of Sanjuro on my blog page if you would like to read more: https://themoviescreenscene.wordpress.com/2020/04/14/sanjuro-1962/
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
09/18/23
Full Review
Matteo P
A drawn sword that wouldn't stay in its sheath. But the best sword is kept in its sheath.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
07/14/23
Full Review
Kyle E
I do love Akira Kurasawa's movies, especially Seven Samurai, Ran, Ikiru, Rashomon, Yojimbo, The Hidden Fortress and Throne of Blood. Sanjuro(sequel to Yojimbo) is not quite on the same level, but it is a fine film regardless and perhaps alongside The Hidden Fortress Kurasawa's most accessible film. It is very well made, with beautiful and sometimes epic scenery and superb camera work. Kurasawa directs with his usual flair, not as delicate as Ikiru, haunting as Yojimbo or as ambitious as Ran, but still highly impressive. The score is lively, the story is engaging, crisply-paced and always fun and the script is witty and tongue-in-cheek yet with a subtle edge. The characters are somewhat one-dimensional and not quite as identifiable as the titular character in Ikiru but still likable nonetheless, and Toshiro Mifune's lead performance is a very subtly fun one indeed. Overall, a great film but not my favourite from Kurasawa. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
11/15/22
Full Review
mar l
Wonderful movie, Mifune is as excellent as always. One of my Kurosawa favorites.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
A strangely lesser-know Kurosawa film that may as well be one of his greatest
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
01/26/23
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