Bôrô no kesshitai

It's 1935, and Minoru Takada is in command of a post just south of the Yalu River. Manchuria is under Japanese control, but there is no shortage of bandits, some of whom are placed in the village.

Given the situation, I thought of John Ford's Cavalry trilogy, with its pawky humor, hints of romance, and deeds of derring-do. There's none of that here, except for acts of desperate courage during the inevitable bandit attack on the post, while the ammunition runs out, and people get ready to kill their women lest relief not arrive like the cavalry. Of course, this is directed by Tadashi Imai, who would direct the memorably despairing KOME. It does, however, point out the need for occasional relief from death, betrayal, bad news from home and other miseries.