Yojimbo

Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Eijiro Tono, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yoko Tsukasa, Isuzu Yamada, Daisuke Kato, Seizaburo Kawazu, Taasi Shimura, Yosuke Natsuki, Ikio Sawamura
Directed by: Akira Kurosawa
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
1961

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A ronin (Toshiro Mifune) comes to a small town where he pits two warring factions against each other for his own benefit.

Review:

Tim:Akira Kurosawa is undoubtedly one of the best and most influential directors of all time. Yojimbo absolutely ranks among his best films. It's a powerful, engaging, entertaining film that holds our attention throughout. In short, it's an expertly crafted film that shows Kurosawa's incredible talent in nearly every frame.

The story itself has been hugely influential in cinema. It's fairly straightforward- a single warrior comes to a town that is divided between two criminal gangs. He offers his services as a mercenary and stirs up trouble between the two factions. When the film starts, he's out only for himself- he cares nothing about either group of criminals, nor the innocent townspeople caught in the middle of their strife. As the movie progresses, this samurai undergoes a subtle transformation. He gets to know the tavern keeper and the sake brewer. He begins some tentative relationships, and it changes his view of the world and his attempts at employment. It's a fairly powerful story that is filled with action and intense sequences. I was immediately engaged in the world and had a terrific time watching the story unfold. The movie is probably the right length- at 1 hour, 50 minutes, there's enough time to cover the story and characters appropriately, but the movie doesn't overstay its welcome.

The cast is as good as you would expect from a Kurosawa film. Of course, you have Toshiro Mifune in the lead role. I love Mifune and have consistently seen him bring his best for Kurosawa's films. Mifune is an exceptional talent and his performance here is outstanding. He's gruff and tough, yet intelligent. He establishes himself as a formidable character early on. He delivers incredible lines like, "I'll get paid for killing and this town is full of people who deserve to die," and my favorite line of the film, "Cooper. Two coffins... No, maybe three." You just love his character, especially because of the contrast between him and his potential employers. He starts out just as selfish as they are, but he holds himself with more honor than they do. As the film progresses, he undergoes a change and Mifune is able to sell this, too. It's a wonderful performance and a big reason why the film is so great is due to Mifune. Eijiro Tono adds a great supporting performance. Tatsuya Nakadai makes a worthy antagonist. The whole cast is quite memorable.

I really enjoyed the film's story, as it held my attention from beginning to end. It might not quite be enough to launch this film into greatness- that's what Kurosawa brought to the movie. The cinematography, the score, the framing of the characters, the tension and drama. Kurosawa crafts a movie that just feels exceptionally made. The film was nominated for 1 Academy Award- Best Costume Design (B&W), but it deserved to be recognized for much more. There's something unmistakable about watching a director deliver a film when his vision is crystal clear and he's at the height of his powers. Kurosawa makes an unforgettable movie here, and it's so surprise that it was incredibly influential (and stolen) by many others. I really like Kurosawa, but I admit that not all his movies are great (The Hidden Fortress and Throne of Blood miss that mark, in my opinion), but Yojimbo is a great movie that belongs in the upper tier of his films along with Seven Samurai and Rashomon. This is an absolute classic and a truly great film.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Seven Samurai, Rashomon, The Hidden Fortress, Throne of Blood