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Assassination (1964)

Ansatsu (original title)
| Action, Drama | 30 October 1964 (USA)
Assassination Poster
In 1863, when Americans warships approach Japan, a enigmatic ronin becomes a important figure in a complex game of power between the Shogunate and the empire.

Director:

Masahiro Shinoda

Writers:

Ryôtarô Shiba (novel), Nobuo Yamada (screenplay)

Stars:

Tetsurô Tanba, Shima Iwashita, Eiji Okada | See full cast & crew »
Reviews
1 win. See more awards »

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Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tetsurô Tanba ... Hachirô Kiyokawa
Shima Iwashita ... Oren, Kiyokawa's sweetheart
Eiji Okada ... Lord Matsudaira
Isao Kimura Isao Kimura ... Tadasaburô Sasaki
Tamotsu Hayakawa Tamotsu Hayakawa ... Shôzô Ishizaka
Eitarô Ozawa Eitarô Ozawa ... Premier Itakura
Fujio Suga Fujio Suga ... Kyûô Udono
Muga Takewaki Muga Takewaki ... Shingo Miyagawa
Takanobu Hozumi Takanobu Hozumi ... Tetsutaro Yamaoka
Hideo Kidokoro Hideo Kidokoro ... Inaba
Tetsuji Takechi Tetsuji Takechi ... Hisamizu Shimazu
Gen Shimizu Gen Shimizu ... Jûjirô Ishii
Yoshindo Yamaji Yoshindo Yamaji ... Detective Yoshikichi
Hiroshi Aoyama Hiroshi Aoyama ... Sankichi
Shin'ya Mizushima Shin'ya Mizushima ... Keijirô Aizawa (as Masaya Mizushima)
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

In 1863, when Americans warships approach Japan, a enigmatic ronin becomes a important figure in a complex game of power between the Shogunate and the empire.

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

flashback | selfishness | honor | isolation | diary | See All (23) »

Genres:

Action | Drama

Certificate:

See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Edit

Details

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Release Date:

30 October 1964 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Assassination See more »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shochiku-Kyoto See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See full technical specs »

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User Reviews

 
Intellectual but sometimes confusing political thriller
3 May 2011 | by tomgillespie2002 – See all my reviews

This rarely-seen Japanese film centres around a mysterious wandering ronin Hachiro Kiyokawa (Tetsuro Tanba) as he juggles between the Shogunate and the Emperor sympathisers in 19th-century Japan. As the pre-credits text informs us (in detail), four American warships arrived in 1853, upsetting the political balance in Japan, as the country divides into the Liberal Shogunate, and the Imperialists who want all foreign influence banished. Kiyokawa's story is told by various supporting players in flashback and the film jumps around a detailed timeline. We never know or fully understand Kiyokawa's intentions and political preference as he proves unpredictable and at time, extremely ruthless.

The film is more of a political thriller than a traditional samurai film, full of conversations in dark rooms, back-stabbings, bargains and power-shifts. Director Masahiro Shinoda never feels like he has to make it easy for the audience to follow, as the large cast of minor players are never fully developed enough, so it's difficult to keep up with who is who. This, I feel, works both for and against the film. It is on one hand highly intelligent and intellectually stimulating, but on the other hand it allows the plot to become convoluted. It's a shame because I would like to have had time to soak up the mysterious atmosphere, and the beautiful cinematography on show. It is though, as a whole, a very good film, and one I will watch again when I get the chance, in order to wrap my tiny brain around the complex plot.

www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com
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