A DAIEI CO. LTD. PRODUCTION
BLIND SWORDSMAN: ZATOICHI AND THE CHEST OF GOLD
Original story by KANSHI MOZAWA Screenplay by SHOZABURO ASAI and AKI KAZUOTA
Starring:
SHINTARO KATSU SHOGO SHIMADA
Directed by KAZUOI KEHIRO
Sir, we're almost in Itakura. Where exactly did you want to go?
- Are you from here? - Yes, sir.
Then perhaps you've heard the name of Kichizo?
Did I say something wrong?
How do you know Kichizo?
Let's just say our paths crossed once.
He died the year before last.
So I'd heard. I came here to pay my respects at his grave.
February
13th
1842
That day, when I chose to stand aside in the war between Iioka and Sasagawa,
there was no need for me to have cut you down.
Forgive me. Please forgive me.
You were from Aikatsu in Joshu Province, Kichizo by name.
That was all I could get from you before your last breath.
In the Province of Joshu and the County of Sai
Stands the village of Kunisada known far and wide
Lived there a man named Chubei a hardscrabble peasant
His second son a boy named Chuji
From tender age a prodigy of swordsmanship and judo
He loved to beat his peers in all the martial arts
But when he entered his twenty-fifth year
Yo, go tell that guy to join us.
Hey, mister, if you're not in a hurry, come have a drink with us.
A drink?
You're blind, are you? Never mind that. Come, come.
But I don't--
It's okay, really. We're just having a little celebration.
- Yo, we've got a guest. - Have a seat.
You look like a man who likes his drink. Here, take this.
I've been known to toss back a few.
You said something about a celebration?
- We're getting the tax man off our backs. - He's been after us since last year.
We finally scraped together the thousand ryo we needed from our 18 villages.
After three years in a row of bad harvests,
putting together a thousand ryo was like giving fesh and bone.
With the tax man finally off our backs, I feel like I've been reborn.
No kidding.
Let me pour you another.
Thank you.
That certainly is cause for celebration.
I wonder if I might have a turn at the drum.
You'd like to beat the drum? Hey, let this guy take the drum.
Right this way.
And raising his head Chuji gave the nod
If that's how you feel let's gird for battle
We'll need this, he said and we'll need that
Then calling together his most valiant men
He set out for Sakai for a meeting with fate
Here they come.
"Tax Payment"
What? The money was stolen?
The tax payment was stolen!
Without that money, we might as well be dead.
Who took it?
Everyone gather at the headman's house! Everyone to the headman's house!
Three samurai ambushed us and stole the money!
Moju and Yasuke were killed.
The dirty bastards!
No, they were some of Chuji Kunisada's men, holed up on Mt. Akagi.
I heard them say so with my own ears when they ambushed us.
Chuji even raided the government storehouses to help us farmers.
He's our friend. He'd never let his men harm us.
But he's been on the run, and he could be getting desperate.
Friend or not, he's a gangster at heart.
That traveling blind man was there too.
I saw him sitting on the money chest.
Don't try to play dumb with us. We have a witness.
Son of a bitch! After that show with the drum!
Where's the money? Where'd you hide the money? Speak up, damn it!
I see. So that was a money chest I was sitting on?
You're asking for it, you son of a bitch!
As you can see, I'm a blind man.
There's something a little fishy about how that keeps coming up.
Being blind doesn't seem to have kept you from being a gangster.
That's right. I bet Chuji put you up to it.
Boss Chuji wouldn't do a thing like that.
Yeah? Well, can you tell us who the hell did, then? Huh?
See. You can't.
Just hold on a second, please.
This is some kind of misunderstanding.
A big misunderstanding.
Just let me go and talk to Chuji. I'm sure we can clear it up.
How do we know you're not going to clear out on us?
I won't run.
I swear I won't run.
So long as that money chest is missing,
both Chuji and I will remain under suspicion.
I have to clear our names one way or another.
Besides, without that money you're all in big trouble too.
I intend to find out who did this.
And I promise you, I'll get your thousand ryo back for you.
"Intendant's Residence"
You can forget the sorry charade, Seiemon.
As the headman of Itakura, you speak for all 18 villages in Usui County.
If you're going to lie to me, you'll have to do better than that.
- But Intendant, sir. - Enough!
You have ten days to get your taxes in. Is that clear?
I beg your pardon, sir, but as you know,
this region has suffered three years of unprecedented drought.
The farmers scarcely have enough food to get through each day.
Drop the excuses!
You claim someone must have stolen the money on its way here?
I've never heard such ridiculous nonsense!
You have ten days. That's final.
But please, Intendant!
Please, sir, I beg you!
May I help you?
Why should I need help from you?
I just couldn't help wondering why you chose to take this back road.
Perhaps you had reason to avoid the government checkpoint on the main road?
- This is a back road? - As if you didn't know.
You will have noted that I'm blind.
It can make it hard for me to tell a main road from a back road.
Now, that's very interesting.
- Can I ask you something, miss? - What?
You can see, can't you?
Yet even with two perfectly good eyes, you chose to take the back road.
Which means... you must be an outlaw.
Hello there.
Care for a massage?
Don't worry.
Unlike most men, I'm blind.
Nice body, miss.
Oh, you needn't be embarrassed and cover yourself.
Like I said, I'm blind.
You're the lady who was avoiding the checkpoint, aren't you?
Please, not so loud.
Where are you headed, anyway?
If you go down this mountain, you'll come to Mizorogi.
That puts you at the foot of Mt. Akagi.
Ah, you're so kind.
But since I am blind, I have no way of telling
where Mizorogi is or where Mt. Akagi is.
Are you sure you can't see?
If I could see, then right about now
I'd be peeping at you through an opening somewhere.
Crazy blind man!
Wait!
You've been following that blind man all the way from Itakura.
Come to my room. I want to talk to you.
Who's there?
Sakichi. Yahachi.
Welcome back.
Thank you.
So, what did Tsunekichi say?
Well--
Well what?
He sent this.
So, Enzo,
I guess you didn't want me to read the letter.
The man thinks only of staying on the intendant's good side,
so he can't find a single measure of rice or sake to send.
You might as well forget about him.
What happened to the other three?
Yeah, what happened to them? Speak up.
- Did they decide to bail out? - No!
- Then where the hell are they? - That's enough!
The way things are now, I can hardly force anyone to stay.
Let them go wherever they want.
You guys too. If you want out, you have my blessing.
Boss!
You're not being fair to them, boss.
Forget it.
No, boss, please hear me out.
They wanted to at least bring a little sake back for you and Enzo.
And?
Speak up!
They--
They were killed.
Killed?
- By a strange twist, cut down-- - What?
Who did it?
A blind man with a lightning sword.
"Monji's Residence"
If this blind bugger was headed up Mt. Akagi, he can't be up to any good.
That's what I figured. That's why I followed him.
This girl tells me he's a gangster who goes by the name of Zatoichi.
Zatoichi?
She says he killed her brother,
so he must be quite a strong swordsman.
There's no harm in being careful, but how strong could a blind guy be?
I'll get your revenge for you, young lady.
But I may need to ask you to do a thing or two as well. You understand?
- That's enough. - Yes, sir.
Look at this, Ogin.
Oh, my! You finally got your constable's hook?
It's my reward for taking on this job for the intendant.
Chuji talked big about protecting the farmers and commoners,
but defying the intendant landed him on Mt. Akagi, where he'll starve to death.
That leaves Eigoro Omaeda as my only competition in all eight eastern provinces.
With this in hand, I'll be as strong as an ogre with an iron club.
Who's there?
I wonder if I could speak with Boss Chuji.
Ichi?
It's been a long time, boss.
I heard in the village below about all you've done to help the farmers.
First things first, Master Ichi.
I'm told you made a little misstep with some of my men.
So it's true they were your men.
Why'd you kill them?
Why won't you answer?
People I've called my friends are ignoring me.
My men are drifting away one by one until I have barely a handful left.
Now you go and take three of those remaining few away from me.
Why did you do it?
Why did you kill them? Answer me!
Boss.
After everything you've done to help the farmers,
why would you suddenly turn around and make them suffer?
Make them suffer?
What are you talking about?
Please return the thousand ryo.
Thousand ryo?
Ichi, if you had eyes to see, you'd already know.
Right now I couldn't show you even one ryo, let alone a thousand.
Perhaps you couldn't, boss, but I believe two of your men could.
If you left, perhaps I could have a word or two directly with those men.
Are you saying you can't talk to me about it?
- Right. - Ichi!
There's nothing I hate more than a man who won't talk straight with me.
So you won't allow me?
That's right.
That money was the farmers' tax payment.
Fools!
Are you trying to smear mud on your boss's face?
Boss.
Kill me, boss. Cut me down like a mangy dog.
In a moment of weakness,
we let our judgment be blinded by the farmers' precious gold.
- But we didn't steal it. - We didn't take it.
No, we didn't take it, boss.
I'm cutting you two loose as of today.
Get out of my sight.
Ichi.
What can I say?
The blame for this is entirely mine.
You came on behalf of the farmers.
In their stead, do with me what you will.
Don't be ridiculous, boss.
I could never do that. I'm just a lowly blind man.
If the world was as it should be, I wouldn't even be here.
I only have one thing to say.
Please come down off this mountain.
Farmers all across Joshu Province look to you as their protector.
They need you to stay alive.
Please don't throw away your precious life here.
It is only by staying alive that you can repay
your debt to the farmers.
Ichi the blind man begs you.
Please live on, for the farmers' sake.
Ichi's right, boss.
This isn't the time for you to die.
It's time to stop hiding out. Let's get off this mountain.
Boss.
What's the matter, kid?
You have a child with you here?
Asataro's nephew.
That makes things difficult.
Where do you expect to go when you leave here?
I suppose we'll first head for Yasuemon's place in Kasukabe.
Then perhaps I should take the boy for you.
You?
I'll probably attract less attention.
- So you'll take him to Kasukabe? - I'd be glad to.
Much obliged.
I'll be on my way then, boss.
The road ahead is sure to be long and hard.
Please take good care of your health.
Ichi.
What you did for me here tonight
I'll never forget as long as I live.
What? Chuji's coming down the mountain?
All right. Go tell the intendant right away.
What're you going to do about the blind man?
We can squash that little bug anytime we want. Get going, men.
Ouch.
Hey, that's pretty.
- What's pretty? - There's lots of pretty lanterns.
Wow, they just keep coming. They're really pretty.
Lanterns?
- Which way are they headed? - That way.
That's in Boss Chuji's direction.
Damn.
- What do you think? - I'm not sure.
This way, men.
Chuji's over this way.
Look, kid.
I want you to pretend you're me and keep your eyes closed for a while.
Okay.
Hold it right there.
- Where's Chuji? - Show us the way to Chuji!
I'm scared!
Stay with me, kid.
I'm scared!
Boss Chuji! It's so good to see you!
Please, come on inside.
We don't want to be any trouble.
If we could just rest a bit out here and get a little water to drink.
It's no trouble at all. Please make yourselves at home.
I'm so glad to see you unharmed.
We'll take care of this, boss. Get yourself out of here while you can.
Boss!
Boss! Please save yourself!.
Master!
Hurry, boss! Run!
Please, boss! Don't let Sakichi die in vain. Escape out the back!
Boss! Come on, boss!
Hurry, boss! Run!
Please, boss! Save yourself!.
So then,
did Chuji make it out alive in the end?
Yes, his men laid down their lives one after the other
in order to save Chuji.
The only ones left standing in the end were Enzo and Gantetsu.
They all asked me to convey their thanks to you.
Thanks?
They said they owed it all to you
that they got down safely from Mt. Akagi.
Could there be anyone
more contemptible than that Monji of Dodo Village?
He and Chuji should be protecting each other as brothers,
but Chuji put his life on the line for us farmers,
while that double-dealing Monji
played both sides of the fence and tried to kill Chuji.
So it was this boss named Monji
who sent those men after Chuji?
It's only a matter of time before we get Chuji.
The farmers think he's the one who stole their gold.
Everything's going exactly according to plan.
So that thing cost you a thousand ryo. You paid a steep price, Monji.
That's the way it goes.
Don't forget our share of the deal.
Of course not. Here, have another drink.
Crap!
Is this any way to treat us, after all we did for him?
That son of a bitch Monji only has eyes forJushiro.
Pisses me off.
Boss, some traveling blind guy is really cleaning up in the game.
A blind guy?
That's six and two, even.
All right, odd!
Looks like you're doing pretty well there, mister.
Yes, thank you. I've been having a bit of a run.
Perhaps I could interest you in a wager with higher stakes.
What kind of wager might that be?
Very impressive.
But I don't understand. What did you wish me to wager on?
Can you do that with your lightning sword?
My lightning sword? You must be kidding.
Not at all. I happen to have seen you in action once.
Five ryo.
I wonder where that could have been.
Well, all right.
Five ryo.
And since you say you've already seen what I can do,
I suppose I'll raise you another ten.
All right.
I'll see that ten.
And I'll raise you--
Go ahead,Jushiro. I'll cover your bets.
Twenty more.
That makes 3 5 altogether. What do you say?
That certainly does make it a big wager.
I like this.
Twenty more it is.
The bets are in.
Just to be sure, I'd like to confirm.
All I have to do is slice a one mon coin in half?
That's right.
Begin!
Ah, did I succeed?
Jushiro!Jushiro!
It's nice when the boss running the game carries a constable's hook.
You can gamble openly and never worry about a raid.
Can't beat that.
Thank you.
Monji, make sure that bastard doesn't go anywhere.
You can count on it. We've got to get that money back.
And besides, he's got some kind of connection with Chuji.
We might be able to get some useful information out of him.
Please come in.
Your skill with that sword is really amazing, sir.
Not at all. It's only fit for parlor games.
You slice a one mon coin in two and come away with 70 ryo in gold.
It's a good time to order up some sake and sweet-talk a maid, don't you think?
Pour on the charm and who knows where it could lead?
Me, charm a woman? You must be joking.
When it comes to women, all I ever do is give massages.
I seriously doubt that.
Let me take that for you.
It's a good time for it, you know. All our samurai went out a while ago.
You mean there are others besides MasterJushiro?
Oh, yes. Two others.
- What are you doing? - Cut it out!
Stop putting on airs!
- Where do you think you're going? - Get your hands off me.
Take it easy!
Damn it! We deserve better than this.
We bring Monji a thousand ryo, and this is the thanks we get?
Keep it down! This is no place to be talking about that!
For the pittance he gave us, I'll say whatever I want!
What are you thinking so hard about, honey?
I was thinking you must be a very pretty woman.
Oh, my, such a smooth tongue.
But how would you know? You can't even see.
I may not be able to see, but I can tell by the way you smell.
Do I really smell so good?
Sweet as a fower. Sweet as a whole field full of fowers.
Though they seem to be pumpkin fowers.
Now you're being mean.
But you know, you're a good-looking man yourself.
Wh-what are you doing? Someone might come in.
Relax. No one's going to bother us.
We can't let those bastards keep the whole thousand for themselves.
We could go to Monji tomorrow and demand he hand over a hundred to us.
Forget it. I won't settle for less than three hundred.
Three hundred?
That'd be a hundred apiece.
You think that stingy son of a bitch will agree?
Who cares whether he agrees or not?
We'll take it.
Wow!
That's the first time I've been on the receiving end of a massage.
You can be sure I won't forget the way you smell as long as I live.
What's your hurry, honey?
I've had enough for now. But I'll come again.
You're forgetting the money.
- You charge for that? - What did you expect?
So you charge for it.
She wants to be paid for that? My, oh, my.
Yes, sir, I suppose she does.
Here you go.
You really should take a bath now and then, you know.
- You looking for us? - Yeah.
There was a little something I wanted to ask you about.
What?
I wanted to hear a little more
about that business I overheard you discussing a while ago.
What're you talking about?
You were saying something about a thousand ryo.
What I'd like to know is
where you took the chest containing that money.
I have no idea what you're talking about.
Don't play games with me.
I heard you two grousing about the small thanks you got for doing such a big job.
But I'm not asking you to tell me this for nothing.
I will pay you for your cooperation.
Or perhaps you'd like to see my sword in action again?
Forget it. I don't know anything.
Denials like that don't get us anywhere.
Look.
You profit nothing if you lose your life.
- Tell me where the money is! - I have no idea.
You'll have to ask at the intend--
Oh, I get it.
For lost and found, go to the intendant's residence.
Of course!
Why didn't I think of that?
Well, I must thank you.
Forgive me if I spoiled your mood coming back from a good time.
Here's a little something
for you to stop in somewhere on your way home
and have another drink.
Here. Take it.
Master Seiemon!
We've got trouble!
Iwa, Sahei and Kiyoji went straight to the intendant.
What possessed them to do something like that?
They know the punishment for not going through proper channels.
What are we going to do?
Send out a call for all the village headmen to gather here.
And go make sure the villagers stay calm and don't do anything rash.
Yes, sir.
I'm going to see the intendant.
But, dear, what if something happens to you?
Don't be silly. If it's to protect the village,
what happens to an old geezer like me doesn't matter a whit.
Seiemon, headman of Itakura Village!
You're under arrest for defying the authorities
and inciting the farmers to rebellion.
Please let me speak with the intendant!
Are you all right, Iwajiro?
Hang on, Kiyo!
Hang on!
Sahei!
Such cruelty!
Please sir, let these men go. They've done nothing wrong.
I beg you. Please have mercy!
Listen here.
If anyone else in this rabble tries to kick up a fuss, haul him in.
As you wish, sir. And what shall we do with the ones in custody?
Dirt-kickers trying to petition me directly? It's outrageous!
We'll have to make an example of them. Execute them. And one other thing.
Those three samurai you hired-- it's time to send them on their way.
Yes, sir, that's what I've been thinking,
but they keep hanging around and demanding money.
I suppose we'll have to deal with them another way then.
MasterJushiro!
If you're discussing some new scheme for making money, count me in.
So it's cold-shoulder time, is it, Gundayu?
We swipe the farmers' tax money for you, and you tuck it away,
then you pretend you know nothing about it and demand they pay up.
- What do you want? - Money, of course.
If you want us to keep our mouths shut, small change isn't going to do it.
Bad idea, Gundayu.
Unless perhaps
you're eager to give me your life as well as the thousand ryo.
I'd say the wiser course would be to simply pay up.
Halt. Where do you think you're going?
Is something going on?
Some farmers attempted to petition the intendant.
- Petition? - You don't want to get involved.
Actually, the intendant has requested my services.
For a massage? All right. Follow me.
Thank you.
Much obliged.
Excuse me, sir.
Is no one else here besides you?
- No, no one. - Is that right?
Perhaps we could step over here.
What is it?
I just wanted to--
The fool.
Sees the glint of money and throws all caution to the wind.
That's the problem with men who can see.
Who're you? What're you doing here?
You must be Boss Monji.
Someone told me I'd find the lost and found at the intendant's residence.
Lost and found? What are you talking about?
- It's no use playing dumb with me. - You better watch it, mister.
Zatoichi.
Ah, MasterJushiro.
It was a pleasure to win such a tidy sum the other day.
Why have you come here?
I don't know what you think you heard, but I suggest you leave.
I'm not very fond of worms.
Worms?
Worms are petty little creatures.
Looking at worms makes me angry.
Makes me want to rip them to shreds.
And I enjoy doing it too.
But the problem with worms is that they refuse to die.
How might this discussion of worms relate to me?
They don't have eyes either.
One of these days, I'm going to cut you to shreds just like a worm, Ichi.
That's what looking at you makes me want to do.
But I'm not going to do it now.
If I do it here, it'll only please the intendant and Monji.
I'd rather save the worm for my own personal pleasure.
I see.
Well, if it's not going to get me what I came to look for,
I don't gain anything by fighting you here either.
So I suppose I'll take my leave for now.
Hold it right there!
- Yes, sir? - Arrest this man!
He's charged with defying the intendant.
What the hell are you doing, Jushiro?
Your men don't have a chance against this guy.
Go on, Ichi. Get out of here.
But you better not try to run.
That sounds mighty tempting right now,
but I'm afraid I still owe the intendant a massage.
See you later.
Damn it!
Shimozaka.
Execute the four men in custody at dawn tomorrow.
"Notice"
"The aforementioned four persons,
having committed unpardonable acts of defiiance against the authorities,
are sentenced to die by beheading
at dawn on the 13th of February.
Intendant of Iwabana Gundayu Matsui"
Let's do it. Let's go rescue Seiemon and the others!
- Yeah, let's do it! - But how can we fight all the officers?
If we back down now, you can be sure we'll get the same treatment someday.
That's right. If they're going to kill us anyway, I'd rather die fighting.
Yeah, we've got nothing to lose!
Hey, it's the blind swordsman.
So what's the story, mister? Did you ever find Chuji?
Where's the money you said you'd bring us?
I did talk to Chuji, but he's not the one who stole your money.
- Then who the hell did? - Who's got our thousand ryo?
I know where the money is.
A likely story. You're just telling us that.
The headman's going to be executed at dawn tomorrow, damn it.
So it's true?
We don't have time to be pussyfooting around.
Wait. Please let me explain.
I came to this village to make amends for a mistake I made three years ago.
By unfortunate circumstance, I cut down a man I needn't have.
We don't care about any of that.
Please hear me out.
I was paying my respects at the man's grave, when fate frowned on me.
Having no idea it was a money chest, I sat on a box to rest,
and suddenly I'm the prime suspect in the theft of that chest.
I swear I'll get your money back. It's the only way I can clear my name.
Oh, yeah? How're you going to do it? Why should we believe you?
We've had nothing but trouble since you got here.
Take your curse somewhere else.
We don't need gangsters to help us out.
Blind fool!
Master Ichi.
I suppose you want to get your licks in too.
Go ahead. You deserve to kick me and beat me and do what you want with me.
If you want to cut me down, then do it with this cane.
You know who I am?
I sensed who you were the first time I met you.
I've never stopped feeling sorry for what I did to Kichizo.
I really did not intend to kill him that day.
But since I'm blind,
when someone suddenly rushes at me,
I have no choice but to unsheathe my cane.
Please don't hold it against all those people.
They're not themselves right now on account of the stolen tax money.
Forcing us to come up with another thousand ryo
is as good as sentencing us to death.
So please forgive them.
Miss Chiyo, do me a favor.
Meet me by the entrance to the village at dawn tomorrow.
What's the matter?
It's no use. There's just no way.
Why?
There are just too many guards.
They've even got eight musket men,
four in front and four in back, with their matches burning.
We wouldn't stand a chance.
We'd all be dead before we took out even one of the musket men.
Who're you?
What do you think you're doing?
What's going on?
What? The prisoners were freed?
- Who did it? The farmers? - No, sir.
The blind swordsman?
- What happened to the musket men? - He cut them all down.
They were all killed?
Hey, everyone!
We've got to report this to the commissioner in Edo.
Intendant! Intendant, sir! What are we going to do?
Calm down, Monji.
What are you doing?
You intend to protect your own hide by destroying the evidence?
Shut up! You're my deputy. You're as guilty as I am.
Damn it! You're wrong if you think you can save just yourself.
If this is how it's going to be, then half of that money is mine.
I'll just help myself!.
So this is where it was--
the farmers' precious gold.
You!
Look here, Intendant.
To atone for trying to tax the farmers twice,
you're going to give me a receipt for their taxes, paid in full.
And to compensate the farmers for what you put them through,
you'll also return their thousand ryo to them.
Then you'll be an intendant worthy of the name.
This thousand ryo would have been completely wasted on you.
I'm not here for the money.
I'll be waiting for you down by Bodai Temple in an hour.
Master Ichi.
Please take this chest back to your people in the village.
It proves that the one who stole your tax payment
was neither Chuji nor me.
- What's this? - Please don't say a word.
Please just take it.
I want you to put up a proper headstone for your brother.
Master Ichi.
Are you leaving already?
I have an appointment to keep.
Wait. Don't go yet.
Go back with me and beat the drum for us again.
Please don't leave without first seeing the joy on everyone's faces.
See the joy on their faces?
That'd be a pretty good trick for a blind man.
Miss Chiyo.
Tell you what.
I'll go now, but I'll come back by the time the singing starts.
Promise?
I promise.
What's the matter, blind man?
How do you like that?
Think you can find your sword?
Damn!
Move it!