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IMDbPro

Sansho the Bailiff

Original title: Sanshô dayû
  • 1954
  • Not Rated
  • 2h 4m
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
17K
YOUR RATING
Yoshiaki Hanayagi, Kyôko Kagawa, and Kinuyo Tanaka in Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
Drama

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.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.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
    • Kenji Mizoguchi
  • Writers
    • Ogai Mori
    • Fuji Yahiro
    • Yoshikata Yoda
  • Stars
    • Kinuyo Tanaka
    • Yoshiaki Hanayagi
    • Kyôko Kagawa
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    8.4/10
    17K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Kenji Mizoguchi
    • Writers
      • Ogai Mori
      • Fuji Yahiro
      • Yoshikata Yoda
    • Stars
      • Kinuyo Tanaka
      • Yoshiaki Hanayagi
      • Kyôko Kagawa
    • 69User reviews
    • 77Critic reviews
    • 96Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 1 nomination

    Photos90

    Kyôko Kagawa in Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
    Yoshiaki Hanayagi and Kyôko Kagawa in Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
    Keiko Enami, Masahiko Tsugawa, and Kinuyo Tanaka in Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
    Yoshiaki Hanayagi and Kinuyo Tanaka in Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
    Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
    Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
    Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
    Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
    Yoshiaki Hanayagi and Eitarô Shindô in Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
    Yoshiaki Hanayagi in Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
    Yoshiaki Hanayagi and Kinuyo Tanaka in Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
    Yoshiaki Hanayagi and Kinuyo Tanaka in Sansho the Bailiff (1954)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kinuyo Tanaka
    Kinuyo Tanaka
    • Tamaki
    Yoshiaki Hanayagi
    Yoshiaki Hanayagi
    • Zushiô
    Kyôko Kagawa
    Kyôko Kagawa
    • Anju
    Eitarô Shindô
    Eitarô Shindô
    • Sanshô dayû
    Akitake Kôno
    Akitake Kôno
    • Taro
    Masao Shimizu
    Masao Shimizu
    • Masauji Taira
    Ken Mitsuda
    Ken Mitsuda
    • Prime Minister Fujiwara
    Kazukimi Okuni
    • Norimura
    Yôko Kosono
    Yôko Kosono
    • Kohagi
    Kimiko Tachibana
    • Namiji
    Ichirô Sugai
    Ichirô Sugai
    • Nio, old escaped slave
    Teruko Ômi
    • Nakagimi
    Masahiko Tsugawa
    Masahiko Tsugawa
    • Young Zushio
    • (as Masahiko Katô)
    Keiko Enami
    Keiko Enami
    • Young Anju
    Bontarô Miake
    • Kichiji
    Chieko Naniwa
    Chieko Naniwa
    • Ubatake
    Kikue Môri
    Kikue Môri
    • Priestess
    Ryôsuke Kagawa
    Ryôsuke Kagawa
    • Ritsushi Kumotake
    • Director
      • Kenji Mizoguchi
    • Writers
      • Ogai Mori
      • Fuji Yahiro
      • Yoshikata Yoda
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • 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.
    • 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.

    • Connections
      Featured in Cinematic Venom Presents: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: Sansho The Bailiff (1954) (2017)

    User reviews69

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Delicate woodcut prints come to life
    "Sansho the Bailiff" (Japanese, 1954): Kenji Mizoguchi made an epic film from what was (apparently) a centuries-old Japanese morality tale. We watch a well-to-do family slowly disintegrate - not from events they cause, but those out of their control. How they each react, how they deal with the passing years and events, and how they find solutions (if any) are powerful, emotional, lessons in life. Can a half-century old Japanese film be useful to a contemporary American audience? Of course it can. Human issues of love, devotion, honor, greed, lust, hate, violence, sadness, and revenge are, if anything, in further need of consideration and dealing. To enhance these thoughts, the musical scoring is superb (I love classical Japanese music), the photography is in gorgeous black/gray/white with artful composing, the pacing is patient and more explanatory than many Japanese films (perhaps Mizoguchi had foreign audiences in mind – which I appreciate!), and I often felt like I was watching delicate woodcut prints come to life.
    helpful•32
    9
    • futures-1
    • Jun 5, 2006

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • 1955 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • Legend of Bailiff Sansho
    • Filming locations
      • Japan
    • Production company
      • Daiei Studios
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,267
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      2 hours 4 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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    Yoshiaki Hanayagi, Kyôko Kagawa, and Kinuyo Tanaka in Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
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