Samurai Banners (1969)

A sprawling historical war epic unfolds in Samurai Banners, Toshiro Mifune’s adaptation of Yasushi Inoue’s novel revolving around the historical figure of strategist Yamamoto Kansuke and the significant part he played in the twilight years of Japan’s Warring States period.

The film, which is rich in intrigue, drama and strategic war faring, follows Yamamoto (Toshiro Mifune) from his days as an ambitious, but lowly ronin in 1543 to his rise as chief strategist for the powerful Takeda clan as they subdue one rival clan after another in a 20-year drive to conquer the nation leading up to a stalemate with Daimyo Kenshin Uesugi in the 1560s.

As a slightly lame ronin, Yamamoto hatches a plot to gain the favor of Nobukata Itagaki (Kanemon Nakamura), Takeda clan’s strongest warlord, by coming to his rescue during a pre-orchestrated assault. The grateful Nobutaka is quick to notice Yamamoto’s talents as a cunning strategist and offers him into the services of Daimyo Harundobu Takeda (Kinnosuke Nakamura). Through guile and careful planning, the ambitious Yamamoto assists Takeda and his powerful clan in conquering weaker neighbors, often without a fight. This includes the Suwa clan.

At Yamamoto’s suggestion, the Suwa clan’s leader is assassinated during attempts to broker peace. A complication for Yamamoto occurs when he falls in love with the dead daimyo’s willful daughter, Princess Yu (Yoshiko Sakuma). He’s forced to keep his emotions in check, however, when Takeda takes her for his latest concubine. Nevertheless, Yamamoto is never far from her side and vows to see her newborn son grow up to be Takeda’s heir and the most powerful warlord in Japan.

The main obstacle in Yamamoto’s plan is Uesugi Kenshin (Yujiro Ishihara), Takeda’s strongest adversary. Events lead up to a climatic battle between these two forces at Kawanakajima where Yamamoto suffers his first strategic blunder. With Uesugi’s main force bearing down on Takeda’s divided soldiers in a literal fog of war, an aged Yamamoto realizing his mistake joins the field of battle himself in a last ditch attempt to fully realize his dreams of victory.

Despite all the period military trappings, this film is primarily character driven. As usual, Toshiro Mifune delivers a commanding performance as a complex individual driven to succeed in war, yet doubtful and contrary in love. Although not central to the historical events that unfold, Mifune’s bittersweet relationship with Yoshiko Sakuma as Princess Yu provides much of the drama as the two become much like a married couple without the benefit of consummating it by law or by physical intimacy.

The rest of the cast are complimentary in their roles. This includes familiar faces among Japan’s many classic historical dramas such as Kinnosuke Nakamura (Shogun’s Samurai) as a clan leader at first bedazzled by Yamamoto’s abilities and later resentful for how they overshadow his own leadership decisions. Kanemon Nakamura (Kwaidan) is a father figure to Yamamoto as the wise Lord Nobukata Itagaki, leader of Takeda’s crack troop of red-armored cavalry. Takashi Shimura (Ikiru), a true legend of Japanese cinema, makes a limited appearance as one of Takeda’s trusted advisers.

Another actor of note is Yujiro Ishihara in the role of Takeda’s rival Kenshin Uesugi. He was a hugely popular film star and singer at the time, but was in decline as an actor by 1969. This might explain why he isn’t given a single speaking line. Then again, any attempt to show the film’s climatic battle from both sides would have only extended an already massive running time.

Samurai Banners is a very large-scale production by any standard. Toho unleashes their most lavish sets, costumes and cinematography. Battle sequences feature hundreds of extras and horses in full regalia. Yet the movie still feels a bit like a made-for-television miniseries. This can primarily be attributed to the way in which the film skirts around most of the battles.

The film is a war movie to be sure and in focusing on a strategist as its main protagonist ensures that the subject is never forgotten. But unlike modern war movies that attempt to rub their audiences’ noses in the mud and blood, Samurai Banners is more about what goes on in between battles. It isn’t until late in the second half of the movie that we’re treated with anything resembling a battle sequence, as opposed to some quick shots of marching armored samurai and spearmen or random charges. No doubt this was partially done to save money.

An unfortunate aspect of this cost-saving method is that some of the critical elements of Takeda’s army and their abilities are simply implied rather than shown. A prime example is when Itagaki’s forces are discussed as being great at opening a battle, but poor at enduring one that drags on. We understand what the filmmakers want us to know, but only in an academic sense.

The film does finally offer up full samurai battle action complete with charging cavalry, banner-waving spearmen and mounted archers. Camera shots are generally short and whip around some to emphasize the chaos of war. In general, the combat appears rushed by today’s standards, but adequately serves its use in recreating the historical clash between two armies.

While Samurai Banners makes for great historical drama, it comes up short in its action scenes, which are too far and few between. Viewers craving more elaborate samurai action should look to latter epics featuring Sonny Chiba or director Akira Kurosawa.