The Loyal 47 Ronin (Chushingura / 忠臣蔵) (忠臣蔵)

A Daiei Motion Picture Company Film

THE LOYAL 47 RONIN

Produced by NAGATA Masaichi

Planning TSUJI Hisakazu KAGEYAMA Toshio Screenplay YAHIRO Fuji TAMIKADO Tomio MATSUMURA Masaharu WATANABE Kunio

Cinematography Art Direction WATANABE Takashi UESATO Yoshizo Sound Recording Music OSUMI Masao SAITO Ichiro Lighting Film Processing KATO Hiroya Toyo Labs ITO Teiichi .............

Cast

HASEGAWA Kazuo KATSU Shintaro TSURUTA Koji ICHIKAWA Raizo

KYO Machiko YAMAMOTO Fujiko KOGURE Michiyo AWASHIMA Chikage WAKAO Ayako

TAKIZAWA Osamu KUROKAWA Yataro FUNAKOSHI Eiji KAWASAKI Keizo OZAWA Eitaro SHIMURA Takashi NAKAMURA Ganjiro

HIGASHIYAMA Chieko NAKAMURA Tamao AI Michiko HASEGAWA Toshiko HODAKA Noriko WAKAMATSU Kazuko MIMASU Aiko

NEGAMI Jun KAWAGUCHI Hiroshi MIAKE Bontaro SHIMIZU Masao SAWAMURA Sonosuke HAYSHI Naritoshi SUGAWARA Kenji USHIO Mantaro TAZAKI Jun

SHIN Kinzo TAKAMATSU Hideo SHIMIZU Gen BOYA Saburo KAGAWA Ryosuke KITAHARA Yoshiro MATSUMOTO Kappei TERASHIMA Yusaku RYUZAKI Ichiro

TAKIBANA Hisako URAJI Yoko TACHIBANA Kimiko HAMA Setsuko ICHIKAWA Kazuko ASAGUMO Teruyo HASEGAWA Akiko WAKASUGI Yoko OMI Teruko FUJITA Yoshiko

ARAKI Shinobu SUGIYAMA Shosaku AZUMA Ryonosuke ONOE Eigoro HARUMOTO Fujio ISHII Ryuichi DATE Saburo RAMON Mitsusaburo NANBU Shozo IZAWA Ichiro

HANABU Tatsuo UMEWAKA Shoji NANJO Shintaro ICHIKAWA Kinya TAMAKI Kazue SHINAGAWA Ryuji CHIBA Toshio AMANO Ichiro FUNAKI Yoichi HARA Seishiro

FUJIMA Daisuke HAMADA Yuji MITSUOKA Ryuzaburo TAKAKURA Ichiro FUJIKAWA Jun SHIMA Yasuhiko KATSURAGI Koichi ASAO Okuzan YOKOYAMA Fumihiko UEDA Hiroshi

HORIKITA Yukio KIKUNO Masayoshi OKI Tokio SAKURAI Isamu KOYANAGI Keiko ISHIHARA Sumao IWATA Tadashi KASUGA Kiyoshi FUKUI Ryuji KONGO Reiko

Directed by WATANABE Kunio

"ODAWARA"

"ODAWARA" Look alive!

"ODAWARA"

"ODAWARA" It's Lord Asano's express palanquin! Bound straight for Ako! No stops!

It's Lord Asano's express palanquin! Bound straight for Ako! No stops!

Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Heave-ho!

- Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Heave-ho! - We've got it!

Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Heave-ho!

Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Heave-ho!

TO AKO Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Heave-ho!

Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Heave-ho!

TO AKO Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Heave-ho!

Heave-ho! Heave-ho! Heave-ho!

AKO CASTLE

An express palanquin from Edo!

Hang in there!

Councilor! Councilor!

Councilor!

Councilor! Councilor! Councilor! Councilor! Councilor!

How disgraceful! Calm yourselves.

Councilor... this is an urgent matter!

Tend to those two at once.

Yes, Sir!

- Hang in there! - Keep a hold of yourself! - Hang on! - Stand steady!

Lord Kira?!

EDO MANSION OF THE ASANO CLAN

EDO MANSION OF THE ASANO CLAN Stop fretting, Gengoemon. Kira Kozuke no Suke holds the fourth rank at court.

Stop fretting, Gengoemon. Kira Kozuke no Suke holds the fourth rank at court.

If anything, offering him a bribe now would be disrespectful.

But, My Lord, many Daimyo have already suffered at his hands.

For instance, Matsudaira Totomi no Kami and Honda Yamato no Kami...

...were shamed deeply by Lord Kira, and bloodshed was only narrowly avoided.

This is about a ceremony to welcome...

...both the Imperial Envoy, Great Councilor Yanagiwara, and Mid-Councilor Seikan'in.

If people heard that someone from the Asano Clan...

...had bribed Kira, not only would it go against my family's customs...

...it would be an inexcusable slight against the Imperial Envoy!

Yes, My Lord, but Lord Kira's behavior in the palace yesterday...

...was absolutely outrageous!

Enough! Don't say any more, Gengo. Go and prepare for my visit to the palace.

Thank you, Lord Kira. It is all thanks to you...

...that yesterday's welcoming ceremony went so perfectly.

Nonsense, Lord Date. Unlike Lord Asano, you are attentive in all things...

...and you take in everything I say with good grace,

so it's a pleasure to guide you.

Please, feel free to consult me at any time.

You have my humble thanks.

Lord Kira, I humbly request instruction on how to best attend the Imperial Envoys.

You should have some idea how to do that without me telling you every little thing.

Do what's proper.

But I am ignorant and unschooled in the manners of court nobles...

...and the Council of Elders has told me to seek your guidance in everything.

Well, if you insist, I suppose I can spare a word or two.

Gifts are vital to official functions.

Gifts?

Yes. You must treat the Envoys with esteem.

You should give them gifts every day.

I understand.

Also, please tell me what I should do regarding the replacement of tatami mats at Fukoin...

...where I'll be entertaining them during their visit to Zojoji Temple.

Oh, there's no need to go to such lengths.

Lord Tsuchiya Sagami no Kami is the presiding Elder this month.

I asked his steward, who told me that whatever Lord Kira may have said...

...daily gifts would be both preposterous, and regarded as quite rude.

In fact, it's never been done.

We must merely spare no effort to properly entertain them.

So it's as I thought.

How dare he play me for a fool!

Was he just pressing for a bribe?

My Lord, this weighty task is almost upon us. Please, just endure until then.

Oh, don't look at that.

That gift's from a hick Daimyo who struts around...

...talking about Bushido in this peaceful Genroku era! Toss it out.

But, My Lord, he did go to the trouble. Wouldn't it be best to at least examine it?

These days, one must often forget Bushido and adopt a more flexible approach.

I know what the typical Asano family gift is like without having to look.

I shall examine it, then.

I see... I can just picture the haughty look on Asano's face.

See? I told you not to look.

First last night, then tonight... we have never seen you like this before.

My Lady is worried that your current state duties are causing you great distress.

There's no need for concern.

Everything is going smoothly, thanks to Lord Kira's instructions.

No need to fear.

Now, pour me another...

You have not been looking well.

Please be mindful of your health until this ceremony is over.

It's not something I'm used to, so I'm just anxious not to make a mistake.

I'm sorry I worried you.

Oh, what nonsense. We are family!

My Lord, Chief Retainer Yasui Hikoemon...

...requests an audience with you, about an urgent matter.

What? You say Asano asked the Elder about gifts to the Envoys?

Yes. Date Sakyo no Suke's Chief Retainer just sent word.

Did he say I'd told him to give gifts?

I'm told that, from observations of their conversation, it seemed so.

Damn that Asano...

What is this "urgent business"?

My Lord, according to what Horibe and Maebara have heard,

the Date Clan have just finished...

replacing all the tatami mats in the room where they'll host their guest...

...during his visit to Zojoji Temple.

What?! They replaced the tatami?! Damn that Kira, he's made a fool of me again!

There is no way we can replace 200 tatami mats in time...

...to pass the inspection tomorrow morning, My Lord!

We won't?!

My Lord, we'll get it done by morning even...

if we have to round up every tatami weaver in Edo!

Please don't worry.

That hick of a Daimyo...

We have to finish this by morning! I'm counting on you all!

- What time is it? - 11 PM, My Lord.

And there's no word from Gengo?

None.

Lord... won't you try to get some sleep?

You go on to bed ahead of me.

- How many left?! - Another 40.

We're almost there! I'm counting on you all!

Oh, My Lord!

What is it?!

All the tatami mats have been replaced.

My thanks...

My deepest thanks!

My Lord!

Yasubei, I thank you.

Sir...!

You are certainly blessed, Lord Asano. Bravo.

Lord Asano. Lord Asano!

If you require something, I'll be happy to serve you.

The likes of you would not understand!

Lord Asano, what is this?!

Look at this screen!

If there is some problem with it, please tell me.

You fool! It's inexcusable to use a screen...

...with an India ink painting in the Envoys' pilgrimage lodgings!

I'll wager you're just making do with whatever was lying around the temple!

If you weren't well-off, that would be one thing...

...but someone as rich as you should at least have a new screen made!

Are you really that much of a penny-pincher?

Lord Kira, I must ask you to...

Enough!

It must be a headache having such hick samurai as your vassals, Lord Asano.

My Lord! My Lord...

Please wait!

I am grateful for your instructions.

At the ceremony for the reply to the Throne...

["Long Kamishimo," "Eboshi Daimon:" Two types of formal samurai dress.] ...should I wear a long kamishimo? Or should I wear eboshi daimon?

["Long Kamishimo," "Eboshi Daimon:" Two types of formal samurai dress.]

["Long Kamishimo," "Eboshi Daimon:" Two types of formal samurai dress.] A long kamishimo should be fine. You should know that much!

We just have to endure this for one more day. Be patient!

"We have been hearing of Lord Kira's behavior for some time..."

Kuranosuke...

I thank you for your concern.

It sounds like a most sympathetic and encouraging letter.

Remember, after today's ceremony, your work will be done.

I pray you will get through your duties for this one day.

Don't worry.

All right. Tonight, regale me with your stories.

I know what to do. Set your mind at ease.

My Lord, what's the matter?!

Gengo, I've been duped.

Everyone's dressed in eboshi daimon for this ceremony!

I've made a terrible mistake!

Have no fear. We have your formal dress all laid out.

What?!

We brought them, just in case of this very mistake.

Gengo... Gengo!

Thank you so much!

Toda.

Yes?

My Lord said we need only endure for this one day, correct?

The Imperial Envoys have reached the Nakasuzume Gate!

Lord Kira! The Envoys will enter the palace any minute!

As their host, should I greet them on the raised platform...

in the entryway, or down by the door?

Please, tell me! Please!

Lord Asano, you're incorrigible.

You must be well aware of the answer.

Are you mocking this old man?

No, not at all! Please, help me!

Have you lost your mind?

You're serious, aren't you?