Three Outlaw Samurai (1964) Sanbiki no samurai (original title)

Director:

Hideo Gosha

Writers:

Keiichi Abe
Hideo Gosha
(more)

Release Date:

13 May 1964 (Japan)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Plot:

Shiba, a wandering ronin, encounters a band of peasants who have kidnapped the daughter of their dictatorial magistrate...

Plot Keywords:

Magistrate | Peasant | Ronin | Dishonor | Murder

Cast

Tetsurô Tanba	...	Sakon Shiba
Isamu Nagato	...	Kyôjûrô Sakura
Mikijirô Hira	...	Einosuke Kikyô
Miyuki Kuwano	...	Aya
Yoshiko Kayama	...	Oyasu
Kyoko Aoi	...	Omitsu (as Kyôko Aoi)
Kamatari Fujiwara	...	Jinbê
Tatsuya Ishiguro	...	Uzaemon Matsushita
Jun Tatara	...	Yasugorô
Toshie Kimura	...	Oine
Yôko Mihara	...	Omaki
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hisashi Igawa

Directed by
Hideo Gosha

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Keiichi Abe
Hideo Gosha
Eizaburo Shiba

Produced by
Gin'ichi Kishimoto	....	associate producer
Tetsurô Tanba	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Toshiaki Tsushima

Cinematography by
Tadashi Sakai

Art Direction by
Junichi Ozumi

Production Companies

• Samurai Productions

Distributors

• Criterion Collection, The (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Janus Films (USA) (TV) (subtitled)
• Raro Video (2005) (Italy) (DVD) (with Seppuku)
• Shochiku CBS/Fox Video (SCF) (????) (Japan) (VHS)
• Shôchiku Eiga

Also Known As:

"Sanbiki no samurai" - Japan (original title)

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | USA:Not Rated

Company:

Samurai Productions

Quotes:

Sakon Shiba:[Threatening to kill the Magistrate; his daughter physically intervenes] For his victims' sake, I can't allow him to live.
Aya:Please!
Sakon Shiba:Move, or I'll kill you!
Aya:Kill me, then. No matter what he's done, I'm still his daughter.
Sakon Shiba:[the Magistrate breaks free and runs for it, but Shiba deftly cuts off his top knot with a quick thrust of his sword] Let the lord see you in disgrace. Let the peasants see you in disgrace.

Excellent proto-"spaghetti western" Samurai movie!

This one is Gosha's first directorial attempt, and what a debut! Though some of the performances are occasionally a bit overwrought, there are also many instances where Gosha reveals his sense of the camera.

Of course, there are Gosha's typical studied camera angles and compositions (you see some interesting "moving camera" work, which significantly predates the attempts of "pioneering" US directors). However, "Sanbiki no samurai" also showcases Gosha's ability to tell a story through facial expressions, rather than simply relying upon dialogue.

This is all film-school wankery. The bottom line is that "Sanbiki" is a gripping chambara flick, with a solid morality tale disguised as a cynical amorality tale. (Note that a common theme through many Japanese "chambara" is that of cynical ex-samurai who ultimately decides to risk life and limb for some hopeless but noble "little guy" cause.)

This theme was repeatedly, um, emulated by the likes of Sergio Leone with his spaghetti westerns. However, my point is that such tales are just plain entertaining. The three actors playing the samurai also turn in great performances.

Viewers new to Hideo Gosha may wish to start with "Goyokin" or "Hitokiri" (a/k/a "Tenchu"), but if you've seen those two already (or if they're already checked out), then this is still a definite movie to catch!