Seppuku (1962)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Masaki Kobayashi

Writers:

Shinobu Hashimoto (writer)
Yasuhiko Takiguchi (story)

Release Date:

4 August 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Peace in 17th-century Japan causes the Shogunate's breakup of warrior clans, throwing thousands of samurai out of work and into poverty...

Plot Keywords:

Samurai | Hara Kiri | Revenge | Poverty | Suicide

Awards:

8 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Tatsuya Nakadai	...	Hanshiro Tsugumo
Rentarô Mikuni	...	Kageyu Saito
Shima Iwashita	...	Miho Tsugumo
Akira Ishihama	...	Motome Chijiiwa
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shichisaburo Amatsu	...	Retainer
Yoshio Aoki	...	Umenosuke Kawabe
Jo Azumi	...	Ichiro Shimmen
Hisashi Igawa	...	Retainer
Yoshio Inaba	...	Jinai Chijiiwa
Akiji Kobayashi		(as Shôji Kobayashi)
Masao Mishima	...	Tango Inaba
Ichirô Nakaya	...	Hayato Yazaki
Kei Sato	...	Masakazu
Ryo Takeuchi	...	Retainer
Tetsurô Tanba	...	Hikokuro Omodaka

Also Known As:

Harakiri (USA)

Runtime:

133 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:X | France:U | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Company:

Shôchiku Eiga

Trivia:

While filming, Tatsuya Nakadai was afraid during most of the sword and spear fighting scenes because real swords were being used. A practice now forbidden in Japanese films. His concern was not alleviated even though professional swordsman were employed during the choreographed swordplay.

Quotes:

Kageyu Saito: The ronin from Hiroshima, Hanshiro Tsugumo, committed hara kiri. All our own men died of illness. The house of Iyi has no retainers who could be felled or wounded by some half-starved ronin.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jeanie's Magic Box (1972)

Does to the Samurai genre what Wild Bunch did to the Western!

Having seen this film the mind becomes clouded with the innumerable things to say about it. Only praise comes to mind. Kobayashi has crafted The great samurai film for the rebel generation and he mixes a deftly handled criticism of authoritarian hypocrisy with a very touching piece of human drama.

The plot is deceptively simple: an old samurai (touchingly portrayed by Tatsuya Nakadai of "Ran", "Kagemusha" and "Sword of Doom") arrives at a clan castle to commit seppuku in their yard, and then tells his tale, seemingly trying to gain time at first. What seems to be the rambling of an old man soon turns out to be a grieving account of how this man (and, more significantly, his loved ones) was wronged by the clan. Then comes the violent revenge (this is where you think "Wild Bunch with katanas", though they do up the ante toward the end with guns...).

Kobayashi's direction is masterful, keeping an unbearable suspense during the mostly talky film, handling the touching scenes with care and maturity and giving us a sweeping fight to top all that. The 133 minutes running time never feels half that long! At the heart of it all though, is Nakadai, who, despite an excellent CV, delivers his greatest performance ever. His Tsugumo evokes a wounded panther, grieving an grieving until it gives in to fury. Nakadai's performance alone marks the film as essential viewing.

If you're open to samurai flicks, this will rank among the finest films you've ever seen.