On the run following his escape from a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Sekigahara, a reckless young warrior (Toshiro Mifune) is bested by a benevolent monk who prepares him for a lonely journey towards discovering what it truly means to be a great swordsman.
In 1955, one of the greatest novels of all-time was finally adapted for the screen nearly twenty years after its author, Eiji Yoshikawa first published it in serial form. This first part in a trilogy on the life of Musashi Miyamoto is a brilliant piece of filmmaking that captures the soul of the samurai and Japan’s most famous example like no other film.
The story begins with a wild and burley youth named Takezo (Toshiro Mifune) convincing his friend, Matahatchi (Rentaro Mikuni) to join what turns out to be the losing side in the famous Battle of Sekigahara in 1600. With Matahatchi wounded, the pair escapes from the battlefield to end up at the house of Oko and her daughter Akemi. After several months, Takezo defeats bandits who assault the household and Oko attempts to seduce him, but he runs away. The two women leave with Matahatchi who decides not to return to his mother, Osugi and his fiancé, Otsu. Takezo fights his way through border guards to get home to tell Osugi of her son’s fate, but is nearly trapped by the bitter old woman. Takuan, a wise and good-natured Buddhist priest becomes Takezo’s mentor and eventually sets him on the path of a samurai when he locks him in a castle room for three years with nothing to do but read. Renamed Musashi Miyamoto, the young samurai is sent out into the world to further his learning in the ways of the sword and samurai. Although torn by his love for Otsu, Musashi leaves her behind while she vows to wait patiently for his return. Meanwhile, proud Osugi and Matahatchi’s docile Uncle Gon begin their search for Musashi in order to kill him.
I’ll begin by saying that I’ve read the 970 page book and had huge expectations for this trilogy. The original story is a fictionalized account of the real Musashi Miyamoto who wrote The Book of Five Rings after the supposed adventures chronicled in this tale. What is so compelling about him and this story is that he is a brilliant example of a man of faults who overcomes them while not becoming a victim of the evils of the world. In fact, this is exactly what happens to most every other character in the story. The film captures this aspect of the original story perfectly.
Toshiro Mifune owns this role. He was born for it. Even in his early days as Toho after World War II, he was considered an actor of raw intensity. Although quiet and respectful off camera, once filmmakers such as Akira Kurosawa set him lose, he was magnetic. In this case, his role as Takezo, the wild man is perfect. And after he emerges from his transformation into Musashi, Mifune pulls a masterfully subtle 180 that renders him with a convincing level of composure befitting the character’s state of mind. Although Rentaro Mikuni would not return for the sequels, his performance as the weak-minded Matahatchi is well played. Kuroemon Onoe as Priest Takuan adds the necessary combination of vitality and maturity to the role of Musashi’s mentor.
Most of the women in this tale are portrayed as highly dependent and trite which will likely seem a bit confounding to Western audiences, given the circumstances. Keep in mind that in feudal Japanese society women had little or no status. Kaoru Yachigusa plays Otsu, Musashi’s true love who decides to devote her life to him even though he chooses the way of the lone warrior over being with her. At the same time, Akemi (Mariko Okada) has also fallen for Musashi, but as the remaining films will show, her state of mind is much less stable. All of this effectively points to Musashi’s clear vision. Where love seems to be a temptation that leads to ruin, there appears to be a noble purity in mastering the sword. Of course, Musashi still has much to learn about both.
It would have been great had the series been filmed in wide screen. The Japanese actually were the first to fully take advantage of the technology once it become common a number of years later. As is, the camera work is excellent and the lighting deserves special mention. Most of the film is shot in scenic outdoor locations and adds tremendously to the film’s realism. The fights are performed less like the more heroic chambara films of Toei and more realistic, much like Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (1954) which had a strong aesthetic influence on this film. This is essential to the story since part of Musashi’s success was the fact that he wasn’t afraid to fight and die. Most of his lesser opponents simply didn’t have the courage or will to fight and they would often attack in groups and were quick to make glaring errors in judgment that any kendo student could point out.
Quite simply, Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto is a flawless film. No movie adaptation could capture every element of the book, but this one does a fine job. The acting is superb, the pacing and the production is first rate. You must read the book, but if can’t manage that then you better watch this film or you’ll be missing out on some of the best Japanese cinema you’ll ever see next to Akira Kurosawa’s works.
by Mark PollardRelated Topics:
jidai geki • Miyamoto Musashi • samurai • Samurai Trilogy • Toshiro Mifune
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