Samurai Rebellion (1967)
"Jôi-uchi: Hairyô tsuma shimatsu" (original title)

The mother of a feudal lord's only heir is kidnapped away from her husband by the lord. The husband and his samurai father must decide whether to accept the unjust decision, or risk death to get her back.

Director:

Masaki Kobayashi

Writers:

Shinobu Hashimoto, Yasuhiko Takiguchi (novel)

Stars:

Toshirô Mifune, Yôko Tsukasa, Gô Katô

6 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Toshirô Mifune	...	Isaburo Sasahara
Yôko Tsukasa	...	Ichi Sasahara
Gô Katô	...	Yogoro Sasahara
Tatsuyoshi Ehara	...	Bunzo Sasahara
Etsuko Ichihara	...	Kiku
Isao Yamagata	...	Shobei Tsuchiya
Tatsuya Nakadai	...	Tatewaki Asano
Shigeru Kôyama	...	Geki Takahashi
Michiko Otsuka	...	Suga Sasahara
Tatsuo Matsumura	...	Lord Masakata Matsudaira
Masao Mishima	...	Sanzaemon Yanase
Jun Hamamura	...	Hyoemon Shiomi
Emi Yamada	...	Shiomi's wife
Takamaru Sasaki	...	Kenmotsu Sasahara
Hideo Fukuhara	...	Sahei

Storyline

During peace in 1725, aging swordsman Isaburo is living a henpecked life when his clan lord requests that Isaburo's son marry the lord's mistress, with whom he's displeased, even though she's born him a son. Isaburo wants to refuse, but his son Yogoro accepts the woman, Ichi, and they fall deeply in love. Their love renews Isaburo, so when the clan lord's elder son dies and the lord sends for Ichi to return to his side as mother of his heir, Isaburo opposes his lord. Yogoro and Ichi, who now have a baby daughter, stand with him. The clan orders their suicide, then sends soldiers to kill them. Isaburo's only hope is to take his case to Edo to expose the clan's cruelty. Can he?

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Plot Keywords:

samurai | katana sword | jidai geki | based on novel

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

December 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

Samurai Rebellion

Filming Locations:

Toho Studios, Tokyo, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mifune Productions Co. Ltd., Toho Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min 121 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Music for the Movies: Tôru Takemitsu (1994)

User Reviews

A samurai movie WOMEN will love...

At the center of a clan's political intrigue and pride is a woman treated like a doll. Her feelings and human value are ignored in favor of a lord's whims and customs of the time. Her sympathizers are a new younger husband and his father who realize and will risk everythint to uphold her virtue. Ichi, the heroine, is not alone. Ichi's infant daughter Tomi, the precious life that Isaburo, her grandfather (played by Toshiro MIfune), must guard risks falling into the tragic pattern as that of her mother. The film moves at a calculated pace, much like water boiling, to the final duel which will decide whether or not the innocent Tomi remains in the arms of her now renegade grandfather or a secure life with Isaburo's friend (played by Tatsuya Nakadai). LIke all good movies, viewers can never fathom the ending. What makes Samurai Rebellion memorable are its vivid images of a toy cow slowly shaking it's head, a smooth field of sand disturbed by the footprints of an angry warrior, and the last scene you may miss if you blink!