Vendetta of Samurai (1952)

"Being warriors...what a misfortune"

Vendetta of a Samurai was written by Kurosawa Akira and directed by Mori Kazuo. It starred many of Kurosawa’s usuals-Mifune Toshiro, Shimura Takashi, and Kato Daisuke. Kurosawa wrote his take on the Igagoe vendetta of 1634. Far from glamorizing violence and the samurai code, it called into question the necessity of the vendetta.

The film opens with the usual legend of the vendetta with Araki Mataemon cutting down 36 samurai at the famous clash. The narrator then informs the audience that the number of killed was certainly inflated and gives a tour of the then present day in Ueno. The story restarts a few hours before the battle with numerous flashbacks from the characters waiting for their target to arrive. Young Watanabe Kazuma is duty bound to kill the samurai who murdered his brother. Matagoro has fled and is being protected by a powerful vassal. Kazuma’s brother-in-law, a famous swordsman joins the vendetta to help him out. Araki Mataemon understands the ways of the samurai and knows all too well he will have to fight his best friend who is charged with protecting the murderer. Kazuma, Araki, and two retainers wait in a teahouse having to confront their own fears and mortality before facing their sworn enemy.

“They haven’t killed you, but you look dead already.”
Kurosawa was no stranger to criticizing the samurai system. In Vendetta, I could almost hear the characters saying, “Is all this really necessary?” Mifune and Shimura were brilliant as the two friends who due to loyalties and tradition realized they would have to draw swords against each other. A scene as they politely talked and shared a cup of sake was heartbreaking. “This may be the last time we enjoy sake together.” As Araki and his crew waited in the tea house to ambush Jinza and Matagoro, panic nearly drove three of the men to their knees. When the opposing side rode into town and were confronted by them, terror filled their eyes, too. Most of these men had never drawn swords in battle before and being faced by people they had no real argument with for the most part nearly paralyzed them. The final battle was not fiercely and eloquently fought, it was purposefully awkward as the combatants processed the high stakes involved.

“Waiting is hard, isn’t it?”
The first half of the film was slow. During flashbacks, characters rattled off names and places not necessary for the crux of the story. An elderly man’s song in a flashback seemed interminable. Much of the story was told as characters reminisced while waiting. What the movie got right were the scenes between Mifune and Shimura. Also, once the opposing sides closed in on each other, the tension was excruciating. Araki’s men fought their own fear, shaking and sweating. Araki dealt with his feelings for his friend that he would have to kill in order to fulfill his duty. Mifune and Shimura were excellent, the story and side characters were good, but not great. As long as you don’t expect an action-packed samurai flick, and are willing to be patient with the back-and-forth nature of the storytelling, Vendetta of a Samurai had moments to be enjoyed.

5 March 2025

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