DVD, Criterion Collection
Toho Film, 1962
96 min
Our hero, Sanjuro, the ronin returns in this second movie of the duology. Kurosawa and Mifune team up yet again for a delightful romp through Japan of the late 1800s. In both Yojimbo and Sanjuro, Mifune’s character is Sanjuro, which means 30 years old. He quips that he’s going on 40, and we’re never to hear his first name as when asked, he looks around and gives the name of whatever vegetation he sees and likes. In this movie he’s Sanjuro Tsubaki (camellia), in the prior movie he’s Sanjuro Kuwabatake (mulberry field).
Sanjuro makes his entrance by overhearing, and entering, a meeting of clan samurai who are fairly young, hot headed, and determined to clean the upper ranks of perfidy, real or imagined. Sanjuro explains the error of their thoughts, saves them from a planned assassination, and helps them achieve their goals. Again, lots of good swordfights, with the final fight showing the horror of swordfights for all to understand. And again, Kurosawa’s choreography of the fights is pure art and gorgeous.
If you miss the irony in the movie, watch it until you understand.