Sanjuro (椿三十郎)

TOHO CO., LTD.

A TOHO-KUROSAWA PRODUCTION

SANJURO

Produced by TOMOYUKI TANAKA and RYUZO KIKUSHIMA

Screenplay by RYUZO KIKUSHIMA HIDEO OGUNI and AKIRA KUROSAWA

Based on the Novel Peaceful Days by SHUGORO YAMAMOTO

Cinematography by FUKUZO KOIZUMI and TAKAO SAITO

Production Design by YOSHIRO MURAKI Music by MASARU SATO

Assistant Director SHIRO MORITANI Production Manager HIROSHI NEZU

Starring

TOSHIRO MIFUNE

TATSUYA NAKADAI KEIJU KOBAYASHI

YUZO KAYAMA REIKO DAN

TAKASHI SHIMURA KAMATARI FUJIWARA

TAKAKO IRIE, MASAO SHIMIZU YUNOSUKE ITO

AKIRA KUBO, HIROSHI TACHIKAWA YOSHIO TSUCHIYA

KUNIE TANAKA, TATSUYOSHI EHARA AKIHIKO HIRATA

TORANOSUKE OGAWA KENZO MATSUI, TATSUHIKO HARI

Directed by AKIRA KUROSAWA

So Mutsuta refused?

Count my uncle out.

I gave him our proposal to purge the clan of corruption.

He just glanced at it and said, "I'm aware of the situation."

- Then why does he do nothing? - I asked him that.

"Why overlook the corruption of your vice-chamberlain

and provincial steward in the daimyo's absence?"

He smiled and said,

"Perhaps I'm behind it."

You all think I'm a good-natured halfwit, a scarecrow who'll do your bidding.

People aren't what they seem. Be careful.

"You'd never suspect who the worst are. Be careful."

- Then he tore... - He tore it up?

He really went too far.

And then?

I gave up on him.

I met with Superintendent Kikui, as we planned.

What did he say?

He understood our position, just as expected.

At first he seemed troubled and said he'd discuss it with my uncle,

but when I told him my uncle's words, he was shocked.

He thought about it and said, "All right. I'm with you."

"I'd like to talk with your group. Gather all your men quickly."

There you have it.

- Kikui's the real thing! - We can reason with him.

He's extremely influential. He's no good-natured scarecrow.

Wait just a minute.

- That's quite a story. - You heard us? Stop him!

Imbecile.

Do I look like I'm going anywhere?

What the hell are you doing here?

It's a free room for the night.

By the way, you should be glad I overheard you.

"The spectator sees more than the player." He can judge the right course of action.

Listen.

If you ask me,

the chamberlain is the real thing,

and the superintendent is a phony.

What? Such insolence won't go unpunished!

Don't get all testy.

I haven't seen either of their faces,

so I can't be fooled by their looks.

The chamberlain is ugly, isn't he?

I guess I must be right.

But judging from your story, he must be a great man

who doesn't care if you think he's a fool.

But this Superintendent Kikui...

You say he's the real thing, "just as expected."

That must mean he looks the part.

Am I right?

But people aren't what they seem.

Be careful.

Enough! What does a worthless ronin know?

I'm just repeating what the chamberlain said.

Don't you get it? His words were even more precise:

"You'd never suspect who the worst are. Be careful."

I may be wrong, but it sounds like Kikui is the rotten one.

Fool!

Quiet down and listen.

What's the superintendent's job?

To quiet discord in the ranks, right?

Instead, he's inciting you to revolt.

Don't you find that odd?

What's more, he told you to gather quickly.

That's a bad sign.

If he's the mastermind, he can kill you all in one fell swoop.

Don't do as he says. Just watch and wait.

But we're meeting him here tonight.

What?

I was right. Take a look.

We're completely surrounded.

Not even an ant could escape.

The foolishness never ends, does it?

Put your swords away. This is no time to play war.

Shut up! We're not listening to you!

Suit yourselves.

I'm sure Kikui will be delighted to see you all dead.

But... we're surrounded.

Just leave it to me.

Superintendent Kikui sent us. Surrender!

You're surrounded!

Do not resist!

What a racket! What do you want?

What do you think you're doing?

Take your shoes off before you go in my room!

Who is this guy?

So... you wanna fight?

Watch out. You woke me up, and I'm in a bad mood.

Pull back!

It's not him we're looking for.

Besides, disposing of this one would take too long.

You're quite able.

If you wish to serve our clan, come see me at the superintendent's estate.

My name is Hanbei Muroto.

It's safe now. Come out.

We don't know how to thank you.

No thanks needed, but some money would be nice.

I've been starving for days. A cup of sake and some food's enough.

This'll do.

See ya around.

But what will you do now?

You've opened our eyes.

We'll rush to apologize to my uncle and follow his instructions.

Very reasonable. Good boys.

Wait. That won't do.

The chamberlain's in danger now.

- The chamberlain? - That's right.

If I were Kikui, I'd arrest him,

since he seems to know that Kikui is behind the corruption.

- Where are you going? - To my uncle's.

So they can catch you?

They know you. Show your face and you're finished.

But it's my fault. If I hadn't been so stupid...

We're all responsible. You were just following our plan.

But if anything happens to my uncle...

Idiot! Stop saying "my uncle"!

You can't just act on your own whims.

That's right.

The nine of us are in this together.

The ten of us!

I can't watch you blunder your way to your deaths.

It's quiet. Everything seems all right.

No, something's wrong. The shutters are usually closed now.

Are there fish in this pond?

A lot of big carp.

Must have been a fish.

Just as you suspected. Those three are Kikui's men.

That's my uncle's room. He must be in trouble.

Don't be hasty. Let's wait and see.

We can't move like this, like a centipede.

Is there somewhere we can hide?

There's a barn just ahead.

Good. Let's go.

Koiso! What's wrong?

Master Izaka!

Fool! This is no time for tears.

My lord is in terrible trouble!

Calm down. Tell us what happened.

The superintendent suddenly arrived with a host of men.

- We were eating... - Never mind that. Where's my uncle?

Ten men took him away.

Where the hell were the guards?

They were taken by surprise and locked up in the main house.

And my aunt?

I don't know. Probably under watch somewhere.

And Chidori?

I think she's with her mother.

- How many men are on watch? - Fourteen or 15.

Then how did you escape?

The sentries asked me to get some sake,

so I pretended to go to the kitchen.

- Unaccompanied? - A man followed me the first time.

This time they let me go alone.

Send her right back.

- Send her back? - Yes, to Kikui's men.

Too bad, since she managed to get away,

but they'll raise the alarm if she disappears.

Best to get them drunk on sake.

Then we can rescue the chamberlain's old lady and the girl.

I see.

Koiso, will you go back?

Yes, I will.

Now there's a samurai.

More reliable than all of you.

We're grateful, but please watch your language.

Calling the chamberlain's wife his "old lady"...

And it's annoying to have you decide our every move.

You want to rescue the ladies first,

but the chamberlain's safety is more pressing.

Very well. Where is he then?

We can't rescue him without knowing where he is.

What's the superintendent planning to do with him?

We can't do anything without knowing that.

Kikui must've told the old lady why he hauled her husband off.

Don't you wanna ask her what she knows?

Understand now?

Good. Now split up.

You three and I will rescue the old lady.

The rest of you, look for the chamberlain.

We'll meet in a safe place. Is there anything around here?

We can't go far at night with the ladies in tow.