Fresh
The film has a steady, hypnotic momentum; the director, Masaki Kobayashi, wrings as much drama out of facial twitches as he does out of sword fights.
Michael Sragow, New Yorker
Harakiri
What befalls others today, may be your own fate tomorrow.
1962 · 2h 15m · Not Rated
Action, Drama, History
Directed by
Masaki Kobayashi
Overview
Down-on-his-luck veteran Tsugumo Hanshirō enters the courtyard of the prosperous House of Iyi. Unemployed, and with no family, he hopes to find a place to commit seppuku—and a worthy second to deliver the coup de grâce in his suicide ritual. The senior counselor for the Iyi clan questions the ronin’s resolve and integrity, suspecting Hanshirō of seeking charity rather than an honorable end. What follows is a pair of interlocking stories which lay bare the difference between honor and respect, and promises to examine the legendary foundations of the Samurai code.
Director and cast
- Masaki Kobayashi Director
- Tatsuya Nakadai as Hanshiro Tsugumo
- Rentaro Mikuni as Kageyu Saito
- Shima Iwashita as Miho Tsugumo
- Akira Ishihama as Motome Chijiiwa
- Tetsuro Tamba as Hikokuro Omodaka
- Masao Mishima as Tango Inaba
- Ichirō Nakatani as Hayato Yazaki
- Kei Satō as Masakazu
- Yoshio Inaba as Jinai Chijiiwa
- Hisashi Igawa as Retainer
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
100%
Tomatometer
Fresh
A devastating, emotionally intense critique of the feudal system's hypocrisy and the warrior's code.
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
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