Shin Heike Monogatari (1955)

Synopsis: Director Kenji Mizoguchi chose to eschew social commentary in this film, focusing instead on a young samurai's struggle for self-knowledge, set against the backdrop of civil strife in 12th-century... Director Kenji Mizoguchi chose to eschew social commentary in this film, focusing instead on a young samurai's struggle for self-knowledge, set against the backdrop of civil strife in 12th-century Japan. The film stars Raizô Ichikawa as Kiyomori, a samurai fighting to suppress an army of monks who are rebelling against the country's ruling cabal, which has threatened to appropriate their land. But when he and his father, Tadamori (Ichirô Oya), return from battle victorious, the cabal offends the honor of the Taira clan by refusing to acknowledge their help, a humiliation especially to Kiyomori. He's further offended when a merchant tells him that he's the illegitimate son of the emperor, and a family friend implies that his real father was a monk. The anguished samurai demands the truth from his parents, angering his mother, Yasuko (Michiko Kogure), who flees. Although Tadamori claims paternity, Kiyomori thinks he's doing so only out of pity. Disgusted with his parents, he rejects all forms of authority and refuses entry to the aristocracy when it's offered to him. But when palace courtiers, jealous of Tadamori, plan his assassination, Kiyomori rushes to his aid. The pageantry of this historical spectacle of court life is well suited to color stock. Mizoguchi's decision to use color thematically, i.e., reds dominate scenes of conflict, white permeates scenes of peace and harmony, etc., are complemented by a similar variation in his choice of musical scoring. [More]

Starring: Raizô Ichikawa

Starring: Raizô Ichikawa

Director: Kenji Mizoguchi

Director: Kenji Mizoguchi

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