The 47 Ronin (1941)

Posted on by womo



The 47 Ronin (元禄 忠臣蔵 Genroku Chūshingura, “The Treasury of Loyal Retainers of the Genroku era”) is a 1941/1942 black-and-white two-part jidaigeki Japanese film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, adapted from a play by Seika Mayama. The film chronicles the end of the lives of the forty-seven Ronin.

source

48 Replies to “The 47 Ronin (1941)”

  1. Since this was made to inspire Japanese of WWII, it contributed to the dropping of the atom bomb. To a westerner, the group is elevated too far above the individual here, though true that Westerners do elevate the individual too greatly. Whether the individual or the group is more important should be a flexible concept, depending on the circumstance. I assume the families of all these men will be cared for by their in laws, but revenge and ritual suicide are both methods of control here, which elevate revenge to the be worth one’s own life. That concept does not ultimately perpetuate the family, the community, or the country. Imperial Japan fails.

  2. I enjoy all Asians History by far am closer to Japanese History. Resilient culture despites all theirs misfourtunes since World War II they have managed to over come and progressive modes to World Wide Exports. Leaving the present on to 1701. These Ronin proven loyalty and inner disciplines, the way of the Samurai. Reserve all the Honors of present and future generations to come for Asia. Paying close attention as my father once said? If you want the world to know? Tell a Woman. We are not Asians., Amazingly they never told a woman of their plans until it was all over. My Honor goes out to these Samurais great Loyalty and debtnes to its causes. Thank you for sharing such a piece of Japanese History.

  4. I got this on VHS for one dollar. The picture quality is amazing even on a hi-definition tv. I also got the Hidden Fortress but the dvd or blue ray are far superior. Great storytelling from Akira K.

  6. この当時のロケ地環境の素晴らしさには驚きです。新藤兼人建築監督、、、どんな仕事したんでしょうね。それからフィルム保存がこれほど素晴らしいのは初めて見ます。

  7. This film is a master class of a well-crafted plot line and of a suspenseful dialogue. The stylistic approach of its two collaborating screenwriters (Kenichiro Hara and Yoshikata Toda), should be studied per every film study curriculum.

  12. Like Monty Python's restarurant skit where a patron (Graham Chapman) comments to the waiter about a dirty fork and all hell breaks loose culminating with the cook (John Cleese) slamming a butcher knife into the table and ranting about the injustice of complaining about a dirty fork, just before he himself succombs to a fatal seizure. I can hear my rascally Okinawan grandfather in Chapman's final ironic remark, "It's a good think I didn't mention the dirty knife".

  22. 天皇をバカみたく崇拝していた時代の雰囲気が色こく各シーンに見えて参考になります。

  23. I enjoyed this version much more than the 2013 version with Keanu Reeves. What bothers me about the film, however, is that the laudable values portrayed–fealty, honor, righteousness, duty, respect, faithfulness, kindness, etc–were only respected by the Japanese when applied to themselves. Keep in mind that this film was made while Japan was invading other countries throughout Asia. They boasted that they were the master race and thus showed little or no mercy to those "inferior races" they conquered. Japan committed genocide, mass murder, torture, rape, and other war crimes against millions of people. For example, they used tied up prisoners–both civilian and military alike–for bayonet and target practice as well as bizarre scientific and medical experiments that put the Nazis to shame. They also engaged in barbaric acts, such as burying or burning people alive; tossing Chinese babies in the air and attempting to skewer them with their bayonets before they could fall to the ground; and using samurai swords to cut off prisoners' heads in order to hone their sword wielding skills. And they intentionally worked their allied military prisoners of war to death with no remorse. In fact, the Japanese high command issued orders in 1945 to execute all 100,00 allied POWs on the Japanese mainland in the event of an invasion of Japan proper. The list of Japanese horrific activities during the 30's and 40's is a long and bloody one.

  26. 良かった。戦前に描かれた「忠臣蔵」を初めて観ました。やはり戦後の描き方とは違って凄く重いです。徳川時代になって100年も経つと、武士道も堕落するのですね。まるで今の時代と同じだ。若き日の加東大介や高峰三枝子が興味深かった。内蔵助役の河原崎長十郎が中曽根康弘にそっくりですね。

  31. The attention to the detail of formalities, protocols, and rank are both fascinating and absurdly laughable. A Lawful-Neutral society gone nuts – the anal retention hurts even to watch or contemplate. I much prefer the fantasy Keanu Reeves version. No intense boredom there.

  34. Here after watching 47 Ronin with Keanu Reeves. This movie is amazing but I was looking for the big fight with the 47 Ronin killing Kira. Anyway, a really interesting look into a different time and culture.

  37. 役者に市川姓が多いので、この作品は歌舞伎役者を使っており可能性がありますが、そうなると見る前からつまらいものであると予想されます。歌舞伎「役者」は、役者ではないですからね。

  44. My understanding of samurai clans, having lived in Japan for nearly 22 years, is sometimes a clan would switch sides mid battle if things started going badly for the side they supported, evidently was not all that uncommon. True there was the bushi code, suicide was better than the shame of losing, in fact in a way it still survives today in that for example, the shame brought on by being caught shop lifting, is enough to prevent many from attempting it. Now, with a population of 127 million people there are bad apples and Japan does have some very dark sides to the culture however, after nearly 5 years back in Canada I often find myself missing Japan very much. Fascinating place, I walked paths that have been walked for a thousand years, very moving, to me anyway. Still, as I said, some dark sides to the culture however, I never ever felt the need to look over my shoulder late at night walking home from a nijikai or something like that. Now we lived in Sendai Miyagi, a smaller city of just over 1 million, much different from say Tokyo however, I visited that city many times and was always confortable at any time of night. They do have their share of nutters though, and I believe most of their stories do not make it to the news outside the country. But everyone should visit Japan in their lifetime, could be a life changing event. Was for me.

  47. I like old movies like this but my only complaint is that a lot of these guys had katana swords and i thought i might see more of them use them.

Comments are closed.