(1961, b/w; The Bodyguard, Japanese) At the end of Japan's feudal era in the mid-19th century, following the breakdown of the old social order of the Tokugawa Shogunate, a masterless samurai in his black kimono with sword enters a doomed town, shrugging his shoulders to the rhythm of Masaru Sato's theme music, its denizens at the mercy of two rival, hate-filled gangs.

Sucking on a toothpick, he calls himself Kuwabatake Sanjuro (Toshiro Mifune), meaning Mulberry Field thirty-year-old, though the scruffy features below his topknot are nearly a decade older. "Which side will you take?" asks the constable, indicating the old boss Seibei with Tazaemon, the corrupt silk merchant appointed mayor, or the rebellious son Ushitora and his younger brother Inokichi allied with the sake merchant Tokuemon, both sides having recruited gamblers, drifters, and criminals.

Pointing out that only the casketmaker can make a living under these circumstances, the old tavernkeeper Gonji befriends Sanjuro, warning him: "You'll gain nothing by getting sucked into their evil." Sanjuro replies: "I'll get paid for killing, and this town is full of men who deserve to die."

Remade by Sergio Leone as A Fistful of Dollars and as Last Man Standing by Walter Hill, director and co-writer (with Ryuzo Kikushima) Akira Kurosawa's black comedy reigns supreme, flashing sharp moments of levity throughout the swordplay.

Thoughtfully rubbing his chest and chin, Sanjuro skillfully plays one group off the other at bidding for his services. When Seibei's wife Orin, who runs a brothel, plots behind the samurai's back with her husband and lone loyal son Yoichiro to deprive him of his payment and life after their anticipated victory, Sanjuro tricks them and then goes to Ushitora, complaining of having been offended.

A massacre is averted when an inspector from Edo arrives in his palanquin and remains for ten days as a guest of Seibei; during this lull Sanjuro, finding amusement in the goings-on, patiently considers more bids to be a bodyguard from each faction. After Ushitora arranges for a neighboring community's mayor's murder, the inspector departs; but another of Seibei's sons Unosake makes his appearance with a pistol - his bullets versus everyone else's blade - becoming a confederate with his two renegade brothers.

More double dealing takes place, including a woman Kohei (whose husband Nui had lost her and his house at gambling to Tokuemon) in exchange for Yoichiro. Disdaining Orin's attempt to lure him with her prostitutes, Sanjuro accepts Ushitora's price for hire, then butchers the guards, allowing Kohei to escape with her husband and child. When his treachery is discovered, the giant Kannuki thrashes the samurai for refusing to reveal where the woman has gone.

Relying on his wits when his feet falter from the beatings, Sanjuro confounds his captors and crawls away. As Ushitora and his men dispatch his father's followers, Gonji with the unsuspecting Ino's help carries off a coffin to the cemetery; Sanjuro repays Gonji for the grave favor.

Click here for links to places to buy or rent this movie in video and/or DVD format, or to buy the soundtrack, posters, books, even used videos, games, electronics and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 2010 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

Patrick Ivers can be reached via e-mail at .