Toshiro Mifune as a samurai working for a feudal lord in 18th century Japan. The lord has a tiff with his main concubine (Yoko Tsukasa), a young woman with whom he has had a child. He wants to throw her out so he orders that Toshiro Mifune's son (Go Kato) marry her. Mifune, his wife and son are all against it, but, in the end, they do what the lord orders, and it turns out okay. The son and his new wife get along great.
But after the death of the lord's legitimate son, the child he had with the concubine is his only heir, so he wants the young lady to return to him. He orders this, and Mifune and his son refuse to go along with it. The lord has the girl abducted. Mifune and his son prepare to fight it out even though they wouldn't last long.
Toshiro Mifune was called The John Wayne of Japan, and, like John Wayne, he acted way too cheerful about going into mortal combat. Like a lot of westerns, it starts as a historical drama before turning into an action film.
With Tatsuya Nakadai.
Available on The Criterion Channel.
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