Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
Sanshô dayû (original title)Reference View | Change View
- Not Rated
- 2h 4min
- Drama
- 1955 (USA)
- Movie
In medieval Japan, a compassionate governor is sent into exile. His wife and children try to join him, but are separated, and the children grow up amid suffering and oppression.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- 2 wins & 2 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast
| Kinuyo Tanaka | ... |
Tamaki
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| Yoshiaki Hanayagi | ... |
Zushiô
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| Kyôko Kagawa | ... |
Anju
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| Eitarô Shindô | ... |
Sanshô Dayû
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| Akitake Kôno | ... |
Tarô
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| Masao Shimizu | ... |
Masauji Taira
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| Ken Mitsuda | ... |
Morozane Fujiwara
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Kazukimi Okuni | ... |
Norimura
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| Yôko Kosono | ... |
Kohagi
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Kimiko Tachibana | ... |
Namiji
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| Ichirô Sugai | ... |
Niô - Old Escaped Slave
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Teruko Ômi | ... |
Nakagimi
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| Masahiko Tsugawa | ... |
Young Zushiô
(as Masahiko Katô)
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| Keiko Enami | ... |
Young Anju
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Bontarô Miake | ... |
Kichiji
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| Chieko Naniwa | ... |
Ubatake
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| Kikue Môri | ... |
Priestess
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| Ryôsuke Kagawa | ... |
Ritsushi Kumotake
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Kanji Koshiba | ... |
Kuranosuke Kudô
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Shinobu Araki | ... |
Sadayû
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Reiko Kongô | ... |
Shiono
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Shôzô Nanbu | ... |
Masasue Taira
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Ryônosuke Azuma | ... |
Landlord
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| Saburô Date | ... |
Kimpei
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Sumao Ishihara | ... |
Yakko
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Ichirô Amano | ... |
Guard
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Yukio Horikita | ... |
Jirô in Sado
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Hachirô Ôkuni | ... |
Saburô Miyazaki
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Jun Fujikawa | ... |
Kanamaru
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Akiyoshi Kikuno | ... |
Guard
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Sôji Shibata | ... |
Man in Sado
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| Akira Shimizu | ... |
Slave Trader
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Goro Nakanishi | ... |
Guard
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Naoki Fujima | ... |
Zushiô in Childhood
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Eiji Ishikura | ... |
Farmer #1
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Midori Komatsu | ... |
Lady at a Wharf
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Keiko Koyanagi | ... |
Prostitute
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Kazuko Maeda | ... |
Prostitute
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Tokio Oki | ... |
Man at a Wharf
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Shiro Ozaki | ... |
Farmer #3
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Akira Shiga | ... |
Farmer #2
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Sachiko Sôma | ... |
Sugano
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Directed by
| Kenji Mizoguchi | ||
Written by
| Ogai Mori | ... | (short story) |
| Fuji Yahiro | ... | (written by) & |
| Yoshikata Yoda | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Masaichi Nagata | ... | producer |
Music by
| Fumio Hayasaka | ||
| Kinshichi Kodera | ||
| Tamekichi Mochizuki | ||
Cinematography by
| Kazuo Miyagawa | ||
Editing by
| Mitsuzô Miyata | ||
Production Design by
| Hisakazu Tsuji | ||
Art Direction by
| Kisaku Itô | ||
Set Decoration by
| Kosaburô Nakajima | ||
Costume Design by
| Shima Yoshizane | ... | (as Shima Yoshimi) |
Makeup Department
| Ritsu Hanai | ... | hair stylist |
| Masanori Kobayashi | ... | makeup artist (as M. Kobayashi) |
Production Management
| Hiroshi Ozawa | ... | production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Tokuzô Tanaka | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
| Akira Naitô | ... | assistant art director |
| Uichirô Yamamoto | ... | set designer |
Sound Department
| Iwao Ôtani | ... | sound |
Camera and Electrical Department
| En'nosuke Asada | ... | still photographer |
| Yasuo Iwamoto | ... | lighting technician |
| Kenichi Okamoto | ... | gaffer |
| Shôzô Tanaka | ... | camera operator |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Yoshio Ueno | ... | costume researcher |
Additional Crew
| Yoshikazu Fujiwara | ... | architecture researcher |
| Emi Kimura | ... | archivist |
| Genjirô Nakamura | ... | stage manager |
| Tasaburô Oota | ... | background design |
| Hiroshi Shibata | ... | movement director |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Brandon Films (1969) (United States) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1975) (United States) (tv) (original airing)
- Capricci Cine (2019) (Spain) (theatrical) (subtitled version)
- Capricci Films (2019) (France) (theatrical) (re-release) (restored version)
- Cinegate (1974) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Kadokawa Herald Pictures (1954) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Les Bookmakers (2019) (France) (theatrical) (re-release) (restored version)
- New Star (2024) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
- trigon-film (2008) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
- ARTE (2021) (Germany) (tv)
- ARTE (2021) (France) (tv)
- BFI Video (1998) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- DeAPlaneta (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
- Eureka Entertainment (2008) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Leopardo Filmes (2017) (Portugal)
- The Criterion Channel (2019) (United States) (tv) (digital)
- The Criterion Collection (2007) (United States) (DVD)
- The Criterion Collection (2013) (United States) (DVD)
- The Criterion Collection (laserdisc)
- trigon-film (2008) (Switzerland) (DVD) (special edition)
Special Effects
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
In mediaeval Japan a compassionate governor is sent into exile. His wife and children try to join him, but are separated, and the children grow up amid suffering and oppression.
Written by David Levene |
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| Taglines | A film of unparalleled beauty by the great Japanese Master Kenji Mizoguchi See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | This film, like several films by director Kenji Mizoguchi from this period, was widely praised in both Japan and the West for its smoothly flowing camera work. But these camera movements were, in fact, planned and blocked by his great cameraman, Kazuo Miyagawa, rather than by the director, who gave Miyagawa free rein in his use of the camera. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Sansho The Bailiff (1954) (2017). See more » |
| Quotes |
Masauji Taira:
[Speaking to his son Zushio on the verge of being exiled and separated from his family]
Zushio, I wonder if you'll become a stubborn man like me. You may be too young to understand, but hear me out anyway. Without mercy, man is like a beast. Even if you are hard on yourself, be merciful to others. Men are created equal. Everyone is entitled to their happiness. See more » |