Samurai Rebellion
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| Samurai Rebellion | |
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 Theatrical poster for Samurai Rebellion (1967) |
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| Directed by | Masaki Kobayashi |
| Produced by | Toshirō Mifune Tomoyuki Tanaka |
| Written by | Shinobu Hashimoto Yasuhiko Takiguchi (novel) |
| Starring | Toshirō Mifune Yōko Tsukasa Tatsuyoshi Ehara Etsuko Ichihara Isao Yamagata Tatsuya Nakadai Shigeru Kôyama Michiko Otsuka |
| Music by | Tōru Takemitsu |
| Cinematography | Kazuo Yamada |
| Editing by | Hisashi Sagara |
| Distributed by | Toho Company Ltd. (Japan) Toho International Company Inc. (1967, USA) |
| Release date(s) | June 3, 1967 (Japan) December 1967 (USA) |
| Running time | 128 min. (Japan) 120 min (USA) |
| Language | Japanese |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Rebellion, also known as Samurai Rebellion, is a 1967 Japanese film directed by Masaki Kobayashi. Its original Japanese title is Jōi-uchi: Hairyō tsuma shimatsu (上意討ち 拝領妻始末), which translates as Rebellion: Receive the Wife.
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[edit] Synopsis
The movie is set in the Edo period of Japan. Toshiro Mifune plays Isaburo Sasahara, a vassal of the daimyo of the Aisu clan. Sasahara is the most skilled swordsman in the land, whose only rival in ability is his good friend Tatewaki Asano (Tatsuya Nakadai). Isaburo is in a loveless marriage with a shrew of a woman. One day one of the daimyo's advisors orders Isaburo's elder son Yogoro (Takeshi "Go" Kato) to marry the daimyo's ex-concubine, Ichi (Yoko Tsukasa), even though she is the mother to one of the daimyo's sons. With much trepidation, the family agrees. In time, Ichi and Yogoro find love and happiness in the marriage and a daughter Tomi is born.
In the meantime, the daimyo's primary heir dies, and he orders his ex-concubine to rejoin his household to care for their son and heir. The family refuses, but Ichi is tricked into the castle by Isaburo's younger son, and her husband and father-in-law are ordered to commit seppuku for their insolence and insubordination. Isaburo counters that he will comply only if the heads of the daimyo and his two primary advisors are brought to him first.
Isaburo sends his younger son and wife away and dismisses his household servants. With his elder son he prepares for battle, placing grass mats around the house to soak up blood and removing the house's walls to allow for more space for combat.
The daimyo's steward, accompanied by a platoon of 20 samurai, brings Ichi to the Sasahara house and tries to force her at spear point to renounce her marriage to Yogoro and join the daimyo's household. The daimyo also "graciously" offers to commute Isaburo and Yogoro's sentences to permanent confinement in a shrine outside his castle. Not only does Ichi refuse to join his household, she throws herself onto a spear instead of abandoning her husband. Her husband goes to her side and is killed with her in his arms. His father, enraged, kills the steward's entire party, killing the steward last as he was attempting to flee.
Burying the dead couple, Isaburo now decides to take his case with Tomi to the Shogun in Edo regardless of the consequences to his clan. Tatewaki, who is guarding the gate, cannot permit Isaburo to pass, and a climactic duel follows with his good friend. Isaburo is the victor, but assassins hidden nearby cut Isaburo down with musket fire. In his dying breath, he laments that no one will ever know the love story of Yogoro and Ichi, which had inspired him, an otherwise obedient vassal, to rise against his clan and lord. He beseeches Tomi to be a good and kind woman like her mother, and to seek out a fine and kind husband like her father. As Isaburo dies, we see Tomi's wet-nurse comforting the baby: she has been secretly following him. Presumably, the legend begins.
[edit] Cast
Name as Character
Toshirō Mifune ... Isaburo Sasahara
Yōko Tsukasa ... Ichi Sasahara
Go Kato ... Yogoro Sasahara
Tatsuya Nakadai ... Tatewaki Asano
Shigeru Kôyama ... Geki Takahashi
Masao Mishima ... Sanzaemon Yanase
Isao Yamagata ... Shobei Tsuchiya
Tatsuyoshi Ehara ... Bunzo Sasahara
Tatsuo Matsumura ... Masakata Matsudaira
Takamaru Sasaki ... Kenmotsu Sasahara
[edit] Music
The music, by Tōru Takemitsu, is performed almost exclusively on traditional Japanese instruments, including shakuhachi, biwa, and taiko.
[edit] Awards
Rebellion won the Fipresci Prize at the Venice Film Festival in 1967.
[edit] External links
- Samurai Rebellion at the Internet Movie Database
- Criterion Collection essay by Donald Richie
- Criterion Collection essay by Chris D.
- 上意討ち 拝領妻始末 (Jōi-uchi: Hairyō tsuma shimatsu) (Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved on 2007-07-17.
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