Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island (1956)

Musashi Miyamoto is challenged to a duel by a confident swordsman Sasaki Kojiro. He agrees to fight him in a year's time.

Director:

Hiroshi Inagaki

Writers:

Hideji Hôjô (play), Hiroshi Inagaki

Stars:

Toshirô Mifune, Mariko Okada, Kôji Tsuruta

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kôji Tsuruta	...	Kojiro Sasaki
Toshirô Mifune	...	Musashi Miyamoto (Takezo)
Kaoru Yachigusa	...	Otsu
Michiko Saga	...	Omitsu
Mariko Okada	...	Akemi
Takashi Shimura	...	Sado Nagaoka the court official
Minoru Chiaki	...	Sasuke the boatman
Takamaru Sasaki	...	Omitsu's father
Daisuke Katô	...	Toji Gion
Haruo Tanaka	...	Kumagoro the horse thief
Kichijirô Ueda	...	Priest Ogon
Kokuten Kôdô	...	Old Priest Nikkan
Ikio Sawamura	...	Innkeeper
Nakajirô Tomita
Sônosuke Sawamura

Storyline

A humble and simple Takezo abandons his life as a knight errant. He's sought as a teacher and vassal by Shogun, Japan's most powerful clan leader. He's also challenged to fight by the supremely confident and skillful Sasaki Kojiro. Takezo agrees to fight Kojiro in a year's time but rejects Shogun's patronage, choosing instead to live on the edge of a village, raising vegetables. He's followed there by Otsu and later by Akemi, both in love with him. The year ends as Takezo assists the villagers against a band of brigands. He seeks Otsu's forgiveness and accepts her love, then sets off across the water to Ganryu Island for his final contest.

---

Plot Keywords:

japanese history | felling tree | cutting wood | cutting down a tree | becoming a farmer | 

---

Genres:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Romance

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

November 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bushido

Company Credits

Production Co:

Toho Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #16.

---

Goofs

As the final duel is fought, the duelists have light on the sides of their bodies away from the sun - Sasaki has light on his back and Miyamoto light on his face.

---

Quotes

Otsu: Darling, abandon your sword. Don't fight! Let them call you a coward. I want happiness, just us two!
[She sobs into Musashi's chest while Musashi looks straight on, sternly]
Musashi Miyamoto: That's impossible now, Otsu.
Otsu: Please, I won't let you go! No!
[She continues sobbing into Musashi's chest, but Musashi pushes her up gently to look at him]
Musashi Miyamoto: Don't be unreasonable.
Otsu: I'm a woman. I wish you had been an ordinary man.
[She buries herself in Musashi's chest and continues crying]
Musashi Miyamoto: Otsu, don't demoralize me, please. A ...
[...]

---

Connections

Features Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple (1955)

User Reviews

Great story, great duel, great finish

Samurai III: Duel on Ganryu Island is the closing film of Inagaki's Samurai trilogy, the story of Musashi Miyamoto (Mifune). It is one of the best samurai films on its own and has the advantage of having the characters' history established in the first two films of the trilogy. This film abounds in good characters: Musashi's two disciples, a young boy and a horse trader, who exchange good natured barbs and loyally support Musashi; the two women in Musashi's life, good girl Otsu and bad girl Akemi; the brigand leader and his henchman, who was formerly Akemi's stepfather; and of course, Musashi's nemesis, Kojiro Sasaki, who is outstanding in both this film and Samurai II. Kojiro is actually a more interesting character than Musashi and reminds me of Tatsuya Nakadai's performance in Sword of Doom. The climactic duel on the beach with the rising sun in the background is amazing. Side note: This film has four of Kurosawa's Seven Samurai actors: Mifune, Shimura, Kato and Chiaki. See the whole trilogy.