Akira Kurosawa is widely regarded as one of the greatest, if not the greatest Japanese filmmakers. Sanjuro is not widely regarded as one of his greatest works, but in my opinion it is the most fun to watch. There’s levity in this film that’s not always present in his other works. However, that doesn’t mean it lacks serious themes. In this film, like many other of Kurosawa’s, the idea that doing what right is seldom what’s easy is conveyed. Kurosawa also examines and critiques Japanese class structure, though it is much lighter critique in this film than his others.
The Set-Up
Sanjuro is a loose sequel to Yojimbo (which is often though of as one of the best samurai films of all time). In Sanjuro the same nameless, samurai from Yojimbo (played by Toshiro Mifune) appears in a new town. He is a ronin, a samurai without a retainer. For brevity sake let’s refer to him as Sanjuro for the rest of the post. He comes into a new town and gets caught up in the town’s political power struggle. The town’s Superintendent is corrupt and is trying to pin the blame on the town’s Chamberlain. The Chamberlain’s own nine samurai believe him to be corrupt. However, Sanjuro is sleeping in the temple they are meeting in and overhears. He knows that the superintendent is actually corrupt. He convinces the young samurai and helps them fight the superintendent and support the chamberlain. The samurai don’t know much about warcraft but are concerned with propriety. The ronin doesn’t care at all for social graces but is an expert at warcraft.
Why It’s Great
This is ostensibly a samurai film, but it feels like a mish-mash of a few different genres of movies. It has elements of a western, a buddy cop movie, a heist film, and of course an action film.
The way Sanjuro is portrayed as a nameless wanderer feels very western. This movie was clearly influenced by westerns and influenced westerns that came after it. The gruff ronin clashing with the proper samurai has the feeling of a buddy cop film. The way Sanjuro and the superintendent try to outmaneuver each other without knowing each other face to face has the strategy of a heist movie.
The action, while dated, is very good. The film is a seamless narrative and the tone is consistent. There is no fat in the movie. Every scene is essential and entertaining.
Do I think this Kurosawa movie is as “important” as his other work? No, but it’s definitely my favorite film of his. If you’re a fan of his, this is a must watch. If you think his work is too serious and stodgy, this film is fun and streamlined. It’s a great starter film, not just for Kurosawa, but for Japanese film in general.