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.
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Title: Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
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1 win & 1 nomination.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Kinuyo Tanaka | ... | Tamaki | |
| Yoshiaki Hanayagi | ... | Zushiô | |
| Kyôko Kagawa | ... | Anju | |
| Eitarô Shindô | ... | Sanshô dayû | |
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Akitake Kôno | ... | Taro |
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Masao Shimizu | ... | Masauji Taira |
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Ken Mitsuda | ... | Prime Minister Fujiwara |
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Kazukimi Okuni | ... | Norimura |
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Yôko Kosono | ... | Kohagi |
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Kimiko Tachibana | ... | Namiji |
| Ichirô Sugai | ... | Minister of Justice | |
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Teruko Ômi | ... | Nakagimi |
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Masahiko Tsugawa | ... | Young Zushio (as Masahiko Kato) |
| Keiko Enami | ... | Young Anju | |
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Bontarô Akemi | ... | Kichiji |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
In mediaeval 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. Written by David Levene <D.S.Levene@durham.ac.uk>
Taglines:
A film of unparalleled beauty by the great Japanese Master Kenji MizoguchiGenres:
DramaParents Guide:
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Details
Country:
JapanLanguage:
JapaneseRelease Date:
1955 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Sansho the Bailiff See more »Filming Locations:
JapanCompany Credits
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IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
Kenji Mizoguchi left the composer alone to do the music. He also did that before in his previous films Ugetsu Monogatari as much as Chikamatsu Monogatari. See more »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.See more »
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The first time I saw this film was when I was in university. It impressed me greatly then. Watching it again recently invoked the same emotion - I was deeply saddened by the horrific acts one human can do to the other. And guess what, a century later the human race has not really advanced that much in this area.
While the film also highlights the noble side of us - compassion and mercy to the weak, maintenance of integrity amid suffering - it is the downside of it that gets me. I finished the movie feeling depressed, as I did several decades ago.
Super B/W photography, a good story, and masterly directing by Mizoguchi make this a classic film of all time. Find an evening when you yearn for artistic fulfillment, and yet are prepared to pay an emotional price for it. Highly recommended for the serious film buffs.