The Hawk of the North (1942)
"Doku-ganryu Masamune" (original title)

Director:

Hiroshi Inagaki

Writers:

Hiroshi Inagaki, Yôjirô Ishizaka (novel)

Stars:

Chiezo Kataoka, Ryûnosuke Tsukigata, Haruyo Ichikawa

Cast

Credited cast:
Chiezo Kataoka
Ryûnosuke Tsukigata
Haruyo Ichikawa
Michitaro Mizushima	...	(as Dotarô Mizushima)
Kinnosuke Nakamura	...	Lord of Date
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shinobu Araki
Ryonosuke Azuma
Sen Hara	...	(as Senko Hara)
Ryôsuke Kagawa
Ryûzaburô Mitsuoka
Kenji Susukida	...	(as Tokuemon Takayama)
Jôtarô Togami
Kichijirô Ueda

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

2 July 1942 (Japan)

Also Known As:

The Hawk of the North

Company Credits

Production Co:

Daiei Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

User Reviews

decent small scale epic

There is some confused information on this site regarding this film. I don't claim to be an expert on the samurai genre, but the version I saw was directed by Kono Toshikazu, not Inagaki, and was a Toei COLOUR release from 1959, not a 1942 B&W from Daiei. The cast list is correct

• for the 1959 version, that is. It is possible there are two versions,

in which case the only mistake here is listing the cast of the 59 version under the 42 title. If there are two versions, this review may be inappropriate, but since both were based on a novel, I am assuming they follow the same storyline...(?) Kinnosuke delivers an excellent performance, though I wish we could have seen more of the volatile, unpredictable temper Date Masamune was famous for. Historical purists will be disappointed - the film (perhaps wisely) ignores his early aggressions and atrocities against his neighbours, and (unfortunately) his ultimately futile backing of a trade mission to the Pope in Rome. This was an effort distinct to Masamune, and would have lent the story a similar uniqueness. Instead, the story concentrates lengthily on a doomed romance with a woodcutter's granddaughter, and his relations with the ruling government under the usurper Hiedeyoshi. I suspect the budget was rather limited - there are too many exteriors that are obvious stage sets, and the battle scenes, while large enough to be believable and exciting, are very brief. Despite its failings, the direction is sound and there are some powerful moments, such as Masamune's discovery of his ruined eye, and the kidnapping of his father by an enemy clan. All in all, worth tracking down for fans of samurai films and samurai history.