Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955)

Musashi Miyamoto returns to Kyoto after years of absence. After a series of fights against the Yoshioka School, he challenges its master to a duel.

Director:

Hiroshi Inagaki

Writers:

Hideji Hôjô (play), Hiroshi Inagaki

Stars:

Toshirô Mifune, Mariko Okada, Kôji Tsuruta

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Toshirô Mifune	...	Musashi Miyamoto (Takezo)
Kôji Tsuruta	...	Kojiro Sasaki
Mariko Okada	...	Akemi
Kaoru Yachigusa	...	Otsu
Michiyo Kogure	...	Dayu Yoshino
Mitsuko Mito	...	Oko, Akemi's mother
Akihiko Hirata	...	Seijuro Yoshioka
Daisuke Katô	...	Toji Gion
Kurôemon Onoe	...	Priest Takuan
Sachio Sakai	...	Matahachi Honiden
Yû Fujiki	...	Denshichiro Yoshioka
Machiko Kitagawa	...	Kogure
Eiko Miyoshi	...	Osugi, Matahachi's mother
Eijirô Tôno	...	Baiken Shishido
Kenjin Iida	...	Jotaro

Storyline

After years on the road establishing his reputation as Japan's greatest Samurai, Takezo returns to Kyoto. Otsu waits for him, yet he has come not for her but to challenge the leader of the region's finest school for Kendo. To prove his valor and skill, he walks deliberately into ambushes set up by the school's followers. While Otsu waits, Akemi also seeks him, expressing her desires directly. Meanwhile, Takezo is observed by Sasaki Kojiro, a brilliant young fighter, confident he can dethrone Takezo. After leaving Kyoto in triumph, Takezo declares his love for Otsu, but in a way that dishonors her and shames him. Once again, he leaves alone.

---

Plot Keywords:

japanese history | duel | young | japan | samurai | 

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Drama | History

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

20 October 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

Duel at Ichijoji Temple

Filming Locations:

Toho Studios, Tokyo, Japan

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

[All trivia items for this title are spoilers.]

---

Goofs

The levels of water and the mud in the rice paddies at Ichijoji Temple vary between shots.

---

Quotes

Musashi Miyamoto (Takezo): Will you kindly refresh my unclean soul?

---

Connections

Follows Miyamoto Musashi (1954)

User Reviews

Predictable and melodramatic

I've watched the entire trilogy of the Musashi Miyamoto films, of which this film is the second part. The first film, titled simply "Musashi Miyamoto," introduces us to the characters of this and the third film. Without having seen the first film and developing some interest in the welfare of the characters, I certainly wouldn't have sat through the second and third films.

"Duel at Ichijoji Temple," this film, deals with Musashi's exploits as a sort of samurai knight-errant, seeking glory in a very ambiguous and roundabout way. Two women are trailing after him, as Kurosawa films would say, "like goldfish dung." Musashi himself is a flat character on whom Toshiro Mifune's acting skills are wasted. He displays very little emotion or intellect, despite his supposed interest in one of the women and enlightening education by his monk teacher (as we saw in the first film).

If Musashi is flat, the female characters are steamrolled. Their hand wringing, collapsing, and sobbing is typical of American movies of this time period and grows tedious in a samurai film. Having seen other films from this time period set in the days of samurai, I've seen that much more can be done with female characters. The plot was likewise predictable and slow-moving.

If you don't care about characters or plot, the high points of the movie may compensate: beautiful color landscapes and Toshiro Mifune's thrilling fight scenes. Otherwise, I recommend films by Kurosawa or Mizoguchi ("Sanjuro," the mysterious "Ugetsu") over this trilogy. 5/10