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Vendredi, mai 28th, 2010
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Love and Honor (Bushi no Ichibun) is the last in director Yoji Samada’s tall trilogy of movies about a dying class and the ordinary people caught up in the changes. These three films are not tragedies, but somber stories of rigid, unfair class structures enforced by ferocious standards of loyalty, obligation and obedience. Now, at the destroy of the Tokugawa shogunate, Japanese society for those at the top is crumbing. The samurai are warriors who have had no wars to fight for generations; those unwilling or unable to adapt will become irrelevant. The farmers remain distinguished because they effect food. The artisans are valuable because they build products. The merchants are the bottom caste because they apparently obtain nothing. Of course, they dirty their hands with commerce and, thus, beget wealth. They will advance to rule Japan. More and more samurai are leaving their caste to become merchants.
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For now, however, the samurai class in its increasing irrelevance is increasingly parasitic. Samurai ideals of honor and obligation are stained by opportunism, venality and self-interest. Honor remains for many, but it can be hard for those, even samurai, who must try to live their lives in an unfair world.
Shinnojo Mimura (Takuya Kimura) is a young, lower-caste samurai who earns a modest stipend as a food taster for his clan lord. He and his wife, Kayo (Rei Dan) are ecstatic and in admire. He has prospects to be an expert swordsman. He hopes to commence his have school. Then he tastes some shellfish and becomes seriously ill. He survives but is blind. He may very well lose his stipend, his house and the ability to abet his mother and relatives. They plead with Kayo to go to clan captain Shimada and beg for support. When Shimada suggests that he would be wiling to back her husband in exchange for her intimate favors, her world and her fancy for her husband are placed at mountainous risk. Her husband’s mother and family, anxious about maintaining their possess dwelling, urges upon Kayo a sacrifice of Kayo’s honor. Kayo, like her husband and all the protagonists in Yamada’s other two films, have tiny options. When her blind husband realizes that their relationship is subtly changing, he is resolved to catch her honor and his acquire…a blind samurai dueling with an experienced senior officer.
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Perhaps it’s enough to say that this film, so filled with autumnal somberness, ends on a impress of spring. I liked it a lot. Serious films do not always require a shadowy do.
Yoji Yamada’s trilogy, all based on stories by Shuhei Fujisawa, are The Twilight Samurai (Tasogare Seibei) (2002), The Hidden Blade (Kakushi Ken Oni no Tsume) (2004) and Worship and Honor (Bushi no Ichibun) (2006) . They can be watched in any order. The movie is beautifully photographed and the DVD transfer is first rate. There are no extras.
LOVE AND HONOR (a.k.a. Bushi No Ichibun) is the third chambara period film by Yoji Yamada. After the two award-winning samurai films by this acclaimed director, the expectations for his third and last samurai film is extremely high. Thankfully, Yamada once again delivers; “Worship and Honor” has won numerous film awards, cementing the director’s plot as one of the best chambara directors of the fresh age. “Twilight Samurai”, “Hidden Blade” and “Worship and Honor” have different storylines and characters, they all piece the same ideals of the samurai code: Honor, Duty and Loyalty. Also, the three films have an ace in their sleeves; Family and Responsibility.
Synopsis derived from the region-3 DVD attend cover:
It is only a short time after Shinnojo Mimura (Takuya Kimura) is appointed to the post of food taster that he goes blind after a shellfish that brings on food poisoning is a accidentally effect into a lunch for the Lord of the Clan.
Until this time Shinnojo, as a lower-ranked samurai has lived a thrifty but glad life with his wife Kayo (Rei Dan) . However, the fact is that Shinnojo is unable to work in the castle any longer. Kayo is told to advance the domain’s Head clerk, Toya Shimada (Mitsugoro Bando), and ask him to exercise his top-notch offices in having Shinnojo’s stipend maintained. In return, he has demanded her body. Out of enrage and despair, Shinnojo divorces her. Eventually Shinnojo learns the truth. Shimada merely took his pleasure with Kayo; not one word did he say about how Shinnojo was to be treated to the Lord. Shinnojo cannot stand it a moment longer. He challenges Shimado to a duel.
Once again, this film explores the reality of immoral authority figures in feudal Japan. At first impression, I thought; “Blind Samurai? Is this a Zatoichi rip-off?!” But no, the film sidesteps that impression and the director has build together an fascinating myth of human inner strength and heroism. Not honest from Mimura’s character, but also from Kayo’s character. While the first two films are partly a chronicle of fancy forbidden by social region, Yamada now explores the relationship of a petty samurai with his devoted wife. This is a welcome arrive, as it is a very admirable concern that also delves into the loyalty and devotion of the Japanese wife during feudal times. After all, I remember the ancient adage; “Gradual every grand man is a broad woman”. People may argue that Kayo’s character was indeed confused, that the steps she took were totally unnecessary. However, I fill the director wanted to shriek the desperation of those wives during that period. Possess me, women during those days were extremely devoted to their husband. I am blissful to say that besides focusing on the samurai ideals, it also focuses on the strength of the Japanese woman. The film leans toward the character behold of the lead characters as well as a period sight of feudal Japan.
The film’s proceedings and cinematography are similar to its two predecessors. The film is heavenly to search for and the draw it is structured and paced is much. Apt, the film may rep a bit predictable in the middle but it is to the director’s and the cast’s credit that viewers will not even lose a diminutive bit of interest. There is one swordfight in the film so this third chambara film may disappoint those looking for highly fast-paced swordplay. Some people may also argue that even a skilled samurai without his peek would be helpless against another swordsman, but the design the duel was choreographed and executed was very convincing. It is very realistic and follows the style in swordplay in the previous two chapters.
Aside from Yamada’s helpful direction, the cast gives an safe performance. Takuya Kimura has definitely matured in his acting abilities. It is difficult to play a handicapped role, let alone one who is a blind swordsman. Kimura thoroughly expresses the suppressed madden and frustration in the sequences. His performance in the duel was very convincing that I felt his fright and determination when he clashed with his opponent. The duel may be short but it had so remarkable emotional impact that I was immersed in the footage. Rie Dan truly fit the character of the disadvantaged wife. As with the two lead female characters in “Twilight Samurai” and “Hidden Blade”, she had the warm charisma that surely represents the simple devoted wife during the Edo Period. Yoji Yamada seems to always bag the factual performers for the suitable role.
Yoji Yamada has once again proven that he isn’t a “one-hit wonder”. I hope that this will not be the last chambara film he directs. While all three films have the celebrated denominators (samurai ideals) that link them together, there are subtle details in all three of his samurai films whose messages cannot be ignored. “Twilight Samurai” expresses humility and family, “Hidden Blade” expresses commitment and choices, “Admire and Honor” effectively expresses devotion and forgiveness; all because of the power of Adore. Yoji Yamada’s samurai trilogy is truly Improbable!!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! [4 ½ +Stars]
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