Yojimbo (1961)

Director:

Akira Kurosawa

Writers:

Akira Kurosawa (story)
Akira Kurosawa (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

13 September 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town.

Plot Keywords:

Violent Comedy | Good Versus Evil | Dark Humor | Cult Director | Cult Favorite

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Toshirô Mifune	...	Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai
Tatsuya Nakadai	...	Unosuke, gunfighter
Yôko Tsukasa	...	Nui
Isuzu Yamada	...	Orin
Daisuke Katô	...	Inokichi, Ushitora's rotund brother
Seizaburô Kawazu	...	Seibei, brothel operator
Takashi Shimura	...	Tokuemon, sake brewer
Hiroshi Tachikawa	...	Yoichiro
Yosuke Natsuki	...	Kohei's Son
Eijirô Tono	...	Gonji, tavern keeper
Kamatari Fujiwara	...	Tazaemon
Ikio Sawamura	...	Hansuke
Atsushi Watanabe	...	The Cooper (Coffin-Maker)
Susumu Fujita	...	Homma, instructor who skips town
Kyu Sazanka	...	Ushitora

Also Known As:

The Bodyguard (International: English title) (literal title)
Yojimbo the Bodyguard (USA)
Yojinbo (Japan) (modified Hepburn romanization)

Runtime:

110 min | USA:75 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Perspecta Sound encoding) (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Germany:12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | USA:Unrated | UK:PG (video rating) (1993) | UK:A (original rating)

Company:

Kurosawa Production Co.

Trivia:

Akira Kurosawa told Toshirô Mifune that his character was like a wolf or a dog and told Tatsuya Nakadai that his character was like a snake. Inspired by this direction, Mifune came up with Sanjuro's trademark shoulder twitch, similar to the way a dog or wolf tries to get off fleas.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Sanjuro practices throwing the knife at a leaf, the wire on the knife is clearly visible (the scene was filmed backwards; the knife was actually pulled off the leaf by the wire).

Quotes:

[Sanjuro has just killed two men and cut the arm off a third]
Sanjuro: Cooper. Two coffins... No, maybe three.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sennen joyû (2001)

"Yojimbo" is a visual feast to all action film fans out there!

I simply enjoy this Akira Kurosawa film for its great use of action, crisp film editing, and fine attention to detail. From the ominous opening scene to the action-packed finale, this film never letsup. Toshiro Mifune's character of Sanjuro is fine-tuned to the point where a simple shrug or mannerism conveys deep, consequential meaning to the overall drama of the story.

Many filmmakers have been influenced by this film, most notably director George Miller, who borrowed heavily from concepts featured in "Yojimbo" (the wandering warrior), as well as Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" (villagers protecting themselves from mauraders) for his hit action film "The Road Warrior." Not to mention, Sergio Leone...

In my opinion, "Yojimbo" has to be the most influential action film to be crafted within the past 4 decades. It has been imitated countless times, by many filmmakers, but has yet to be topped. "Yojimbo" truly is the cinematic template for all the action films released in the past 4 decades. Kurosawa is the master of his craft, and if you've already seen this film, don't just see it once -- see it again!

If you were thrilled by the efficient use of action and visuals in "The Road Warrior," you'll definitely be blown away by its original source material, "Yojimbo." Trust me, it is that good, and I highly recommend it!

Score: 10/10 (One of those rare films that truly deserves this score!)