THE 47 RONIN Part 1
Executive Producer SHINTARO SHIRAII
Original Story by SEIKA MAYAMA
Screenplay by KENICHIRO HARAI and YOSHIKATA YODA
Photography by KOHEI SUGIYAMA
Fine Art Director HIROSHI MIZUTANI
Music by SHIRO FUKAI
Produced by KOA EIGA KK
Cast
CHOJURO KAWARAIZAKI
KANEMON NAKAMURAI
KUNITARO KAWARAIZAKI
YOSHISABURO ARAISHI
KIKUNOJO SEGAWA
KIKUNOSUKE ICHIKAWA
TOKUSABURO ARAISHI
RYOTARO KAWANAMI
JOJI KAIEDA
HIROSHI OUCHI
ISAMU KOSUGI
MASAO SHIMIZU
UTAEMON ICHIKAWA
MITSUKO MIRURAI
FUMIKO YAMAJI
Directed by KENJI MIZOGUCHI
The land is at peace under the Tokugawa shogunate.
March 14, 1701-- Tsunayoshi is the 4th shogun.
Kajikawa.
You must thank the Imperial messengers...
for Lady Tokugawa.
Why not ask me what to say?
What does Lord Asano know?
I have been Master of Ceremonies...
over 40 years.
Why did you ask...
Lord Asano?
Reception Committee member...
in name only.
I doubt he can...
carry out...
his various functions.
Former lords carried out...
their assignments.
There was no one so ignorant...
or so rude.
This is the final day...
of the ceremonies.
The messengers have arrived.
After the shogun...
receives them...
I will tell you.
Kira, vengeance!
I am on duty here. Withdraw your hands.
A screen in the Palm Room.
Lord Asano...
take off your outer ceremonial robe.
We have been sent to question you...
About today's incident...
I speak as an official now.
You forgot where you were today...
and attacked Kira. Your reason?
I'm sorry. I have no excuse.
I bear no ill will toward the shogun.
I forgot myself over a private grudge...
and wounded Kira.
Did you intend to kill him?
My sword missed killing him.
I regret it.
Mete out my punishment.
A private grudge?
I have nothing to say.
I only regret I failed to kill Kira.
A slight wound.
Please laugh at my lack of skill.
Please punish me according to the law.
No, of course not.
I did nothing to have him bear a grudge.
That noise? Asano is coming! Be careful!
It is hard to believe. Such violence.
I can only think that Asano is mentally deranged!
Did you touch your sword?
Do you believe I did?
I am Master of Ceremonies and in the castle...
and this is an important day.
So I tried to avoid his sword as best I could.
That is why I was wounded from behind.
Very admirable of you.
Thank you for your words of praise.
My orders?
Very well done.
When my lord left...
he seemed pale...
so I asked him...
to return early.
He smiled sadly...
and said his worries...
end today.
He will return soon.
We must cheer him up.
You understand?
A word, Lady Asano.
Vassals Horibe and Kataoka...
are here.
What is it?
Today in the Pine Corridor...
our lord wounded Kozuke Kira.
Your questionings--
We reported it to the Elders in detail.
Kira, mindful of place, was lauded for not fighting.
Dr. Yoshida will give him medicine.
Dr. Kurizaki will treat his wound.
He can recuperate fully.
He can leave the castle with attendants.
Lord Asano...
to gratify a personal grudge...
he dared attack Kira in the castle.
So he will commit hara-kiri in Lord Tamura's custody.
Please wait.
Please give us time to think over your order.
I wish to express my opinion.
I agree to sending him to Lord Tamura.
But please reconsider the other point.
What?
As we have mentioned before...
Lord Asano's behavior has been of the best.
He cherished no ill will towards the shogun.
A true samurai, he admitted it was a personal grudge.
A great daimyo to be put into custody...
and to be ordered to commit hara-kiri at once is too much.
As superintendent and inquisitor...
I believe the judgment...
is unfair.
Unfair?
Lord Asano sacrificed family honor.
He was driven beyond human endurance.
Kira must have been at fault too.
Please use the samurai code in passing judgment.
The shogun praised Kira for his good behavior.
He did not even...
touch his sword.
What a world when such petty things are praised!
Wounded, all he could do was to run and fuss.
Too weak to draw his sword.
But I was wrong to call him a coward.
He was in the castle...
and near the shogun's chambers.
But a man like Kira--
We samurai would not call him our equal.
Family and fief are first with him.
Losing the samurai spirit, he only thinks of profits.
It has been decided Lord Asano became demented...
and resorted to violence.
l, Tamon, cannot easily agree to that.
It is only fair to inquire further.
You have a point in what you say.
But Lord Yanagisawa knows.
And it has been decided already.
We'll keep your request in mind though.
Please wait.
If Lord Yanagisawa decided it.
I must speak up.
In short, Lord Yanagisawa is Kira's distant kin.
It shows prejudice.
An affront to daimyo, not hereditary lords.
Request his reconsideration.
You go too far. It can't be changed.
The more reason a fair judgment the first time.
If not, try until a fair one is reached.
Administrators decide it!
You've no voice in it!
Insist and you'll regret it!
I beg you!
I say it out of loyalty.
Announce me to Lord Mino.
No! Your position is too low!
Please announce me!
No! No!
Please announce me!
Chamberlain.
A word from Councilor Kofu.
These are peaceful times.
The samurai are becoming lax.
But your conduct was that of a true samurai.
"I will not forget it." These are his words.
You gave him leave to bid his Lord Asano farewell.
So I told Gengoyemon Kataoka.
He said he would be forever grateful to you.
I am overwhelmed.
I feel for Lord Asano's vassals.
I'm glad you came.
Kiyo, preparations.
Kiyo.
The time our lord at Lord Tamura's mansion--
Stop it!
Would your death please our lord?
Kira was not even reprimanded.
Lord Uesugi backs him.
We can't avenge--
Fool!
Tomimori.
What is it?
Magistrate's men came.
What about?
As previously stated...
the Asano Edo Mansion will be confiscated.
So Lord Asano's vassals...
must leave at once.
The Asano Clan Castle at Ako-- 427 miles from Edo.
News reaches Ako of Lord Asano's attack on Kira.
Another mistake.
Why the rush?
Confiscating the castle?
Our lord?
That courier's message was vague.
Does Chamberlain Oishi know?
Why check?
Our lord?
You tell me.
Our work is to carry out the chamberlain's orders.
Forward of me, perhaps, but hasn't Oishi lost his head?
The worst possible news but he does nothing.
Instead, he's calculating.
It's beneath a samurai.
Is he a fit chamberlain?
We have many doubts too.
Yasoyemon Okajima.
Yes?
Who told you to count the castle silver?
I am in charge.
I have my orders from Chamberlain Oishi.
Yasoyemon... Yasoyemon.
How can you count money...
after hearing the bad news?
Oishi isn't Lord Asano's only vassal.
Others of high rank too.
He would not resort to such a thing.
I asked him to do it.
Thank you. How much?
The details are here.
About 900 kan, I believe.
900 kan?
It'll buy more than 20,000 koku of rice.
More than I had expected.
There was so much silver in the castle?
And how much gold?
7000 ryo.
7000 ryo?
Yasoyemon, what do you think?
Rate of exchange?
Chamberlain, the Asano clan faces a crisis.
Your important duty's to calm the people.
True.
But if we must leave...
the most pressing need is money.
Before we think of ourselves...
we must look after the people in the Asano domain.
It's our duty to our lord.
No, that is of secondary importance.
Think first of our quotas.
No.
The four Ako counties bolster us.
It is not the other way around.
The Ako farmers and shop people must bear no losses.
You're a chamberlain in charge of it. Help me.
Your pardon.
The second courier's arriving soon.
Know who he is?
Hara and Oishi, I think.
Hara came himself?
Why are you here at your age?
Edo Chamberlain Yasui's missive to you.
Hara-kiri that very day?
The shogunate showed no mercy.
Our Lord's dwellings were confiscated the same day.
The ceremonies for the lmperial messengers?
Were they postponed?
No, only a change in place.
Everything went as arranged.
It went smoothly?
I am grateful. I am very grateful...
for that.
What about Kira?
Not even reprimanded.
He wasn't?
Our Lord was hot-tempered...
but it was too cruel a punishment.
The verdict? I'd like to know the reason.
Here is it.
Read it.
"Lord Asano.
"Holding a personal grudge...
"against Kira...
"you forgot time and place, daring to--"
Wait.
"Daring to"?
Yes. "Daring to wound Kira.
"It was an unpardonable act.
"So you are ordered to commit hara-kiri."
Is that all?
Yes.
Have you our lord's last words?
Yes.
"l meant to let you know...
"but do not have the time.
"Reading this must puzzle you."
"Reading this must puzzle you"?
Is that all?
Yes.
Reading this must puzzle you.
His last poem?
Here it is.
"More frail than petals...
"scattered by the wind...
"I bid a last farewell and leave spring behind."
"More frail than petals...
"scattered by the wind...
"I bid a last farewell and leave spring behind."
Yesterday, it was to die...
holding the castle.
Today, hara-kiri for their lord--no decision's reached.
Chamberlain Ono wants...
to make Lord Daigaku the heir...
and turn over the castle...
peacefully.
Loyal men...
like vassals Okajima and Takebayashi.
They watch him as a betrayer.
How will Chamberlain Oishi unify such difference?
Brother said he's going to the castle...
to commit hara-kiri.
Is it true?
Are you still awake?
It's late. Go to bed.
Sugi, are you there?
The children.
I'm not sleepy!
Are Father and Brother following our lord?
I can't sleep.
A samurai's son must be calm.
It is most true at important times.
Forget your father's words?
No. Good night, Mother.
Good night, Aunt.
Chamberlain Oishi and I...
are cousins.
It's forward of me to say this.
But all the vassals are waiting for his decision.
Ushioda, my husband, too.
He doesn't say anything.
So I don't know.
I can only say...
he seems to be torturing himself...
in waiting for some news.
I think he'll make up his mind by it.
lmportant news?
I don't know what it is myself.
Retainer Onodera in Kyoto...
came by sedan.
From Kyoto?
When did you know?
Notified on the 18th...
by the shogunate.
Any gossip in Kyoto?
I've something to report to our lord's grave...
and comfort his soul.
I called on Chief Councillor...
and other lords...
and apologized to them...
for what our lord did.
Representing Asano clan...
I fell down.
And told them I represent...
all the vassals.
I apologized and apologized.
Just as you told me to...
beforehand.
They all said...
they all feel sorry...
for our lord.
We know how you feel.
I was overwhelmed.
They don't hate what our lord did?
There's more of it.
It's unbelievable but...
rumor says...
the Emperor said to those close to him...
that he is sorry...
our lord failed to kill Lord Kira.
What our lord did this time--
It is an inexcusable crime.
There was a reason, but...
our lord was rude.
He's deserved to be called a blasphemer.
But the rumor I heard--
And sympathy from nobles--
I, Kuranosuke--
I'm saved.
I don't mind other things.
Our lord's house or fief.
If he's branded as a blasphemer...
Our lord can't rest in peace forever.
Same to us.
We'll be unable to find a place to stay in Japan.
How seriously we think of revenge.
We couldn't avenge our lord.
You said you feel sorry for our lord.
I'm saved.
You return to Kyoto.
Sit down outside the palace.
And express feelings...
of gratitude.
For our lord and all of us.
You do that.
I will.
When did you come?