Yojimbo (1961)

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110 min - Action | Adventure - 13 September 1961 (USA)

8.4

Ratings: 8.4/10 from 39,125 users
Reviews: 114 user | 96 critic

A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town.

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
	Toshirô Mifune	...	Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai
	Tatsuya Nakadai	...	Unosuke, gunfighter
	Yôko Tsukasa	...	Nui
	Isuzu Yamada	...	Orin
	Daisuke Katô	...	Inokichi, Ushitora's rotund brother
	Seizaburô Kawazu	...	Seibê - brothel operator
	Takashi Shimura	...	Tokuemon, sake brewer
	Hiroshi Tachikawa	...	Yoichiro
	Yôsuke Natsuki	...	Kohei's Son
	Eijirô Tôno	...	Gonji, tavern keeper
	Kamatari Fujiwara	...	Tazaemon
	Ikio Sawamura	...	Hansuke
	Atsushi Watanabe	...	The Cooper (Coffin-Maker)
	Susumu Fujita	...	Homma, instructor who skips town
	Kyû Sazanka	...	Ushitora

Full cast and crew »

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Storyline

Sanjuro, a wandering samurai enters a rural town in nineteenth century Japan. After learning from the innkeeper that the town is divided between two gangsters, he plays one side off against the other. His efforts are complicated by the arrival of the wily Unosuke, the son of one of the gangsters, who owns a revolver. Unosuke has Sanjuro beaten after he reunites an abducted woman with her husband and son, then massacres his father's opponents. During the slaughter, the samurai escapes with the help of the innkeeper; but while recuperating at a nearby temple, he learns of innkeeper's abduction by Unosuke, and returns to the town to confront him. Written by Bernard Keane <BKeane2@email.dot.gov.au>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Genres:

Action | Adventure

Parents Guide:

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Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

13 September 1961 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Le garde du corps See more »

Filming Locations:

Japan See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kurosawa Production Co., Toho Company See more »

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min | USA: 75 min

Sound Mix:

Perspecta Stereo (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

See full technical specs »

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Yojimbo is an uncredited film version of Dashiell Hammett's novel 'Red Harvest', which has yet to be filmed. Red Harvest is about a detective who comes to a small city and sets two sides of a gang war against one another until both gangs are almost completely wiped out. The scenes where Toshirô Mifune's character is held and beaten, however, was taken from Hammett's novel The Glass Key, which has been adapted for the screen twice. See more »

Goofs

Crew or equipment visible: The wire used to pull the Yakuza's cut kimono off can be seen as he gets up from the ground. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Farmer: [in Japanese] Wait, son.
Traveler: [in Japanese] Let me go, father. It's my chance.
See more »

Connections

Referenced in Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000) See more »

Yojimbo (1961)
Yôjinbô (original title)

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Writers:

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