Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto
| Samuari I: Musashi Miyamoto | |
|---|---|
The cover of the Criterion Collection DVD.
|
|
| Directed by | Hiroshi Inagaki |
| Produced by | Kazuo Takimura |
| Written by |
Hideji Hōjō (play) Hiroshi Inagaki Tokuhei Wakao Eiji Yoshikawa (novel) |
| Starring |
Toshiro Mifune Rentarō Mikuni |
| Music by | Ikuma Dan |
|
Production
company |
|
| Distributed by | Toho Studios |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
93 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
Miyamoto Musashi (宮本武蔵?) (released in the United States as Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto) is a 1954 color (Eastmancolor) Japanese film by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshiro Mifune. It is the first film of Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy of historical adventures. The film is adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi. The novel is loosely based on the life of the famous Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. The film won a Special/Honorary Award at the 1955 Academy Awards for outstanding foreign language film.
The other two films in the trilogy are Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple and Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island.
Following the battle of Sekigahara, Takezo (Toshiro Mifune) and his friend Matahachi (Rentarō Mikuni) find themselves on the losing side. Instead of the grand victory and glory Takezo had anticipated, he finds himself a hunted fugitive, having to assist a severely injured Matahachi. The pair seek shelter with a widow and her daughter who unknown to them are connected to local brigands. The brigands soon show up and ask for tribute from what the women have stripped off dead samurai, and Takezo has to fight them off. Both women attempt to seduce Takezo but are rejected. The widow then tells Matahachi that Takezo tried to assault her and convinces him to escort her and her daughter to Kyoto. Matahachi agrees even though he loves (and is betrothed to) Otsu (Kaoru Yachigusa), a woman from his village.
...
Wikipedia