Sword of the Beast (1965)

"We are connected. I'll be seeing you in hell!"

Sword of the Beast was one of Gosha Hideo’s earliest directorial efforts. While it could feel clunky at times, there was enough action, betrayal, revenge, and double-dealings to fuel a film twice as long.

Yuuki Gennosuke is on the run after he killed his clan’s counselor. Hot on his trail are the man’s daughter, her fiancé, and a gaggle of samurai. A petty criminal he helps joins him as they head toward the mountain where gold has been found. The only trouble? Aside from the posse on his trail, panning for gold is a crime punishable by execution. Along with the shogunate’s patrols, there are bandits and also a samurai guarding a pile of gold like a dragon. Gennosuke has his hands full, sometimes literally, as nearly every woman throws herself at him.

“I’m a cornered and wounded beast. I can’t afford to live by my conscience.” The funny thing is, aside from the initial murder, Gennosuke was the conscience of the film. Set during the twilight of the samurai era, Beast highlighted the corruption running rampant through the clans, and how poorly some of the samurai were treated. Gennosuke had hoped to see reforms implemented in his clan that would have provided men like himself with a path toward promotion and a livable wage. He and the other low-level samurai discovered that their superiors demanded unquestioning loyalty and honor from them, while those in charge had zero qualms about lying, betrayal, and being utterly duplicitous. Low ranking men and women were expendable, especially if it meant promotion or gold for the more nobly born.

The sword fighting was average for 1965 with poor Gennusuke being outnumbered most of the time. The hunting party told him to die like a samurai, but he told his friend in the deadly group that they weren’t planning a death befitting a samurai---they were planning butchery. Much of the film was shot in a beautiful mountainous and forested region, a stunning backdrop for betrayal and revenge. Gosha knew how to get the most out of each frame. The story flowed well for the most part, but felt underbaked at times. I will never understand the male movie fantasy of women meeting a man and instantly start trying to take their clothes off. Because that's just what women do. Really should have been a clue Gennosuke was being set up whenever it happened.

Sword of the Beast was fun and Hira Mikijiro did a fine job as the least beastly of the characters. I enjoyed Gosha’s first film, Three Outlaw Samurai more, but this film kept my attention with each new person Gennosuke saved or threatened. Numerous characters discovered the hard way that the wealthy get that way and stay that way by not sharing the wealth. If you enjoy these old samurai films, this is certainly one worth trying.

14 February 2026
Trigger warnings: Sexual assault and attempted sexual assault. Nothing overtly graphic, just disturbing.

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