Jigokumon (1953)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Teinosuke Kinugasa

Writers:

Kan Kikuchi (play)
Teinosuke Kinugasa (writer)

Release Date:

10 December 1954 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance

Plot:

In 1159, during an attempted coup, one of the court's ladies in waiting disguises herself as the lord's wife...

Plot Keywords:

Samurai | Attempted Coup | Male Female Relationship | 12th Century | Jidai Geki

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 5 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Kazuo Hasegawa	...	Moritoh Enda
Machiko Kyô	...	Lady Kesa
Isao Yamagata	...	Wataru Watanabe
Yataro Kurokawa	...	Shigemori
Kôtarô Bandô	...	Rokuroh
Jun Tazaki	...	Kogenta
Koreya Senda	...	Gen Kiyomori
Masao Shimizu	...	Nobuyori
Tatsuya Ishiguro	...	Yachuta
Kenjiro Uemura	...	Masanaka
Gen Shimizu	...	Saburosuke
Michiko Araki	...	Mano
Yoshie Minami	...	Tone
Kikue Môri	...	Sawa
Ryosuke Kagawa	...	Yasutada

Also Known As:

Gate of Hell (USA)

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved

Filming Locations:

Daiei Tokyo Studios, Tokyo, Japan

Company:

Daiei Studios

Trivia:

Visa de contrôle cinématographique France : #15760(subtitled version) or #15760/D (dubbed version).

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 79th Annual Academy Awards (2007) (TV)

A Good Film That Falls Short

In Gate of Hell, a samurai is rewarded for his courage with anything he desires, but what he desires is the wife of another samurai.

Gate of Hell was one of the most popular Japanese imports of the 1954-55 American film season and winner of two Academy Awards and the Cannes Grand Prize. I first saw it as a teenager and was captivated by its gorgeous color and beautiful cinematography.

According to Jasper Sharp of Japan Cult Cinema, "Still today the film looks as stunning as ever, with its opening battle scenes partially shrouded behind billowing veils and banners, and the majestic flight of the troops from the burning imperial palace providing some of the most remarkable images, as well such memorable set pieces as a horse race and Moritoh's tense night time confrontation with Wataru and Kesa at the film's climax".

Appearing around the same time Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon (1950), Kimisaburo Yoshimura's The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari, 1952), and Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu (Ugetsu Monogatari, 1953), Kinugasa's film is part of what is often termed The Golden Age of Japanese Cinema.

Adapted from a play by the twentieth century writer Kan Kikuchi, based on a story from the Heian period (794-1185) - the same era in which Rashomon and The Tale of Genji are set - Kinugasa's film opens in the midst of the spectacular battle of the Heiji War.

A revolt against the Emperor has been put down and Moritoh (Kasuo Hasegawa), a brave warrior is granted any wish he desires. Moritoh asks for the hand of Kesa (Machiko Kyo) but this request proves impossible to grant, since Lady Kesa is already married to Wataru (Isao Yamagata). Moritoh refuses to take no for an answer and becomes obsessed with obtaining Kesa as his wife, even if it means threatening the life of her husband to achieve his ends.

This film held my interest but I found the plot predictable and the acting exaggerated (Moritoh looks more ridiculous than frightening). According to Sharp, "Kinugasa himself was fully aware of his picture's dramatic weaknesses, and blamed intervention from his producer, an under-developed script, and a rushed working schedule due to a release date fixed in advance".

Perhaps this could have been a truly great film, but, to me, it is simply a very good film that falls short.