TOHO CO., LTD.
SEVEN SAMURAI
Produced by SOJIRO MOTOKI
Screenplay by
AKIRA KUROSAWA SHINOBU HASHIMOTO, HIDEO OGUNI
Cinematography by ASAKAZU NAKAI
Music by FUMIO HAYASAKA
Starring
TOSHIRO MIFUNE
TAKASHI SHIMURA
KEIKO TSUSHIMA
YUKIKO SHIMAZAKI
KAMATARI FUJIWARA DAISUKE KATO
ISAO KIMURA, MINORU CHIAKI SEIJI MIYAGUCHI
BOKUZEN HIDARI YOSHIO INABA, YOSHIO TSUCHIYA
Directed by AKIRA KUROSAWA
During the Civil Wars,
an endless cycle of conflict left the countryside overrun by bandits.
Peaceable folk lived in terror of the thunder of approaching hooves...
Take this village too?
Take it! Take it!
Not so fast!
We just took their rice last fall.
They'll have nothing now.
Very well.
We'll return when that barley's ripe!
Is there no god to protect us?
Land tax, forced labor, war, drought...
and now bandits!
The gods want us farmers dead!
That's right! We're better off dead!
What's all this? Crying won't change anything.
The magistrate can do more than collect taxes.
We can ask him for help.
We know all about him!
He shows up after they're gone, acting big while he surveys the damage.
That's right. He's useless.
We might as well hand over our rice and barley to the bandits
and just hang ourselves!
That'll bring the magistrate here in a hurry!
We'll kill those bandits.
We'll kill them all.
Never again! Let's kill 'em all!
Not me!
I couldn't possibly -
That's crazy talk.
So we can kill defeated samurai but not bandits?
Stop it! This is no time to fight amongst ourselves.
We don't have a chance against bandits. And when we lose?
They'll slaughter us all, down to the last unborn child.
I've had enough! Better to risk it all
than to live like this. Kill or be killed!
Rikichi!
The farmer's only choice is to endure.
We can't defy the powerful.
When the bandits arrive, we'll greet them meekly
and quietly hand over all our barley.
We'll plead with them to leave just enough for us to survive.
"That's all we ask," we'll beg on our hands and knees.
What bandit will agree to that?
Have you forgotten how low we had to stoop for the rice we're eating now?
We should go see the Old Man.
Let him decide what to do.
Consider who we're dealing with here.
Give a wolf a taste of your leg and he'll ask for your hand.
Once they have a taste, they'll be back in the fall.
- But what if we lose? - Then we're no worse off!
Without our barley, we're doomed anyway!
We fight.
Old Man, that's madness.
We're farmers. What do we know of battle?
We'll hire samurai.
Whoever heard of farmers hiring samurai?
I saw it with my own eyes,
when the village you were born in was torched.
I saw it when we escaped to this village here.
The only village that didn't burn was the one that hired samurai.
But Old Man, there are different kinds of villages and villagers.
How are we to feed samurai when we live on rice gruel?
We'll make do on millet!
Show me a samurai who'll fight for farmers in return for food!
They're a proud lot.
Look.
Find hungry samurai.
Even bears come down from the mountains when they're hungry.
How dare you?
You're nothing but a farmer! I'm still a samurai!
I don't need your charity!
Fool!
What'd I tell you?
Look, the barley's ripe.
Ten days already since we left the village.
What do we do?
This barley's early, not like our mountain barley.
Hey, we're soaked through to the bone.
Find any cheap, strong and foolhardy samurai?
Leftovers.
You can have 'em cheap.
That's a laugh!
- What's so funny? - He's blind.
- What about you, then? - Not me.
I'd rather eat horseshit.
- Won't get a nose bleed outta him. - Cleaned him out gambling last night.
Pulled his sword when he lost, so the three of us beat him up.
Not a drop left in his nose now.
Don't bother. They only eat millet.
Is that true? You can't live like that.
Without nourishment you'll go night-blind.
I've got just four left.
I'll trade 'em all for a cup of rice.
What do you say?
Damn! What a bunch.
What a waste.
If we still had that rice, we coulda bought 40 of those.
Shut up!
But it's true, right?
The blockhead's cracking up!
What a show. Go at it, boys.
Who ever heard of anything so unfair?
We give him his fill of rice and a free bottle of sake,
and he thanks us with a beating.
Good for him!
Not like this one playing possum here.
Say, let's go home. Let's just go home.
Look at him sobbing.
Misses his wifey.
I'd pay good money to watch the two of 'em going at it.
Let's hurry and get back to the village.
Go on home. You can't afford buns, let alone samurai.
Farmers like us know good from bad when it comes to seed,
but not when it comes to samurai.
Besides, we're no match for the tough ones,
and the only ones interested are weaklings.
If I lost last night, it was only because I was starving.
Liar! You had plenty of money to gamble.
Jerk!
Wanna fight?
It's a fight.
Over here! Wake up!
Quit that strumming, monk! It's depressing!
Keep it up, grandpa. We're on your side.
Rikichi!
Stop it, Manzo!
You said we were going home, you son of a bitch!
I said we'd go home, not bargain with bandits!
If we can't hire samurai, what's left?
It's bargain or nothing!
Fine, have it your way!
But tell me:
If we do strike a bargain,
what have we got to offer this year?
Are you willing to give 'em your daughter?
Shino's a fine-Iookin' girl.
What's going on?
There's a thief in that barn. We raised a ruckus and he ran in to hide.
How many thieves are there?
Just one.
One?
All of you can't take a single thief?
We don't dare make a move. He took a kid in there with him.
Says he'll kill him if we attack.
Listen. Hear him?
Poor thing.
It all happened in the middle of the night.
Poor kid's been bawling the better part of a day.
He can barely make a sound now.
He's only seven. Imagine how his parents feel.
Who's that samurai getting his head shaved?
No idea. We asked him for help and he agreed right away.
Then he asked us for two rice balls.
He asked a monk to shave his head and lend him his robes.
No idea what he's up to.
Stay back! Any closer and I kill the brat!
I'm a monk.
Stay back!
I'm just a monk. I mean you no harm.
I won't come in.
I just thought the child must be very hungry.
I've brought some rice balls.
You should eat one yourself.
Won't you have one?
What's wrong?
Throw 'em here!
Here.
My baby!
Even you can't object to a samurai like that.
Ask him quickly. It'll be harder in town.
What do you want?
My name is Katsushiro Okamoto. Please make me your disciple!
Disciple?
As you see, I'm a ronin. The name is Kambei Shimada.
I don't take on disciples.
Get up. I can't talk to you like this.
I'm begging you - let me be your disciple.
First get off your knees. We'll talk as we go.
I'm at a loss.
You think far too highly of me.
No, sir -
Just hear me out.
There's nothing special about me.
I may have seen my share of battle,
but always on the losing side.
That about sums me up.
Better not to follow such an unlucky man.
No, I'm determined to follow you whether you allow me to or not.
I forbid it.
I don't have the means to travel with an attendant.
Can I help you?
What do you want?
Insolence!
Stay out of this, little chick.
Are you a samurai?
Damn right I am!
I wonder.
Bastard.
Who was that?
Leave him be.
I beg of you, sir!
You idiot. Why don't you scram?
Stubborn old fool. They'll eat it and run like last time.
It will never work.
Sir, we could arm the villagers with bamboo spears.
- I thought of that. - But, sir -
This isn't a game.
They may be bandits, but they ride 40 strong.
Two or three samurai won't suffice.
Defense is more difficult than offense.
You say there are mountains behind the village?
Yes.
Passable by horse?
Yes.
Fields in front.
Until those are flooded with water,
you're open to mounted attack on four sides.
You need at least four men, one to guard each side.
Two more to guard the rear.
No matter how frugal our estimate,
we need seven, including me.
We can manage seven somehow.
But the Old Man said four.
It's only three more.
Hold on a second.
I haven't accepted your offer. I'm only speculating.
First of all, it's not easy to find trustworthy samurai.
What's more, all you have to offer is food.
Only those out to fight for the hell of it will agree.
Besides, I'm sick of fighting.
Age, I suppose.
Good thing I wasn't born a peasant.
Better to be born a dog. Goddamn it.
Go ahead - hang yourself and die! You're better off dead!
Silence, you lout!
What's it to you? I'm only telling the truth.
What truth? What the hell do you know of these farmers' suffering?
Don't make me laugh!
Like you would know.
How dare you?
You heard right. If you know, why don't you help them?
So you wanna fight?
That's enough.
Enough!
Hey, samurai, look at this.
This here's your dinner.
But what do you think these blockheads eat?
Millet.
They eat millet to feed you white rice.
This is the best they can offer. What do you say to that?
- All right, then. - What?
Quit your jabbering.
I won't let this rice go to waste.
Manzo and the others are back!
Where are Rikichi and Yohei?
They stayed behind. We still need more samurai.
The samurai are coming?
They sure are. Seven of 'em.
Seven?
Seven.
I was against it because you said four, Old Man.
I figured we'd need at least ten.
But if I'd said ten, we'd have ended up with 15.
That's the way it goes.
Old Man, I'm worried.
The village girls will go crazy over the samurai.
If the samurai touch 'em, all hell will break loose.
Bandits are coming, you fool.
Your head is on the block,
and all you think of are your whiskers?
Samurai, sir.
- You require my services? - Yes, sir.
Who's to be my opponent?
Katsushiro.
Hide just inside the door.
Strike that ronin as he enters.
Here he comes.
Don't hold back. Give him a real whack.
Excellent!
Please don't take offense. I am Kambei Shimada.
We're seeking expert swordsmen and have no time to waste.
Forgive me.
What's this about?
The reason better be good, or I'll have to redeem my honor.
I humbly beg your pardon. We only sought to test your skill.
We must soon contend with a gang of bandits.
I see. And whose clan do you serve?
It pains me to tell you, but we're fighting for farmers.
- Farmers? - That's right.
This job affords no stipend and no reward.
But we can eat our fill as long as we fight.
This is absurd!
My ambitions are greater than that.
That's a shame. Won't you reconsider?
I will not.
Sir, we lost a good man there. Such a fine swordsman.
What's wrong?
That one samurai's good, but how'll the other six be?
Enough of your worrying.
How can we know before they get here? Don't worry till you've seen 'em.
That one there.
Excuse me, samurai, sir.
Just like last time?
Sure. It's good practice for you.
Surely you jest.
No offense intended.
I'm with you.
But I have to say
that although I understand the farmers' suffering
and understand why you would take up their cause,
it's your character that I find most compelling.
In life one finds friends in the strangest places.
- What is your name? - Gorobei Katayama.
A name fit for a giant, no?
Yohei, what are you doing? Hurry and wash the rice.
Yohei!
What's wrong?
Someone stole the rice.
You idiot! Didn't I warn you?
I was so careful.
I slept the whole night hugging that rice jar.
Fine, then! I'll get more from home!
But what'll we do
till you get back?
There's only a handful left.
Stop that, you idiot!
Hide that money. The master's returning.
I ran into you at just the right time.
So you're still alive. I figured you'd long since left this earth.
Now tell me, what happened after that?
I hid among the grasses in the moat until dark.
When the outer walls tumbled down on me in flames, I knew I was finished.
What ran through your mind at that moment?
Nothing special.
Sick of fighting yet?
Truth is, there's a tough battle ahead leading to neither money nor rank.
Will you join us? - Yes.
This may be the one that kills us.
Where are they when you need 'em?
What do you need, sir?
Samurai.
There's a pretty poor excuse for one in my backyard.
I couldn't believe his gumption.
He says, "I'm hungry. Feed me.
I'm broke, though, so I'll pay you by chopping wood."
I like his frankness.
Never seen a man split wood before?
Sure, but you do it with such relish.
It's just my nature. Sorry if it bothers you.
You're very good.
It's nothing compared to how I cut down men.
- Have you cut down many? - That I have.
There's no cutting me off when I start cutting.
So I make it a point to run away first.
A most excellent approach.
Why, thank you kindly.
Tell me, do you feel like cutting down 30 bandits?
Let us commence!
Too bad.
It's a draw.
I'm afraid not.
I won.
That's ridiculous!
If these were steel, you'd be dead now.
- Then we fight with steel! - Don't throw your life away.
What?
Don't you see? With steel blades, you'd die.
It's a waste of your life.
Wait! Don't try to flee.
Draw! This isn't a contest of words!
This is preposterous.
There's no contest.
How did you fare?
We let a good fish get away. An excellent swordsman.
They say the fish that gets away looks bigger than it really is.
No.
I watched him cut a man down with my own eyes.
It was amazing.
A man obsessed only with testing the limits of his skill.
I doubt he'll join us.
- That's a shame. - Indeed.
I did tell him where we're staying, though.
And how did you fare?
- Caught one. - I see.
- As a swordsman, barely mediocre. - Barely mediocre?
But an honest, amusing man.
Something about him brightens one's spirits.
He'll be a treasure in hard times.
Much obliged.
Actually, I did land one myself. - The one dressed as a peddler?
That's right.
In fact, he's an old trusted friend.
I'll bring some water.
I'm Heihachi Hayashida.
A modest warrior of the Wood-Chop School.
Just three more to go.
Three? Don't you mean two?
No, we can't afford to take a child along.
Master!
I know, I know.
I know what you'll say.
I was once your age, you know.
Hone your skills,
then go to war and do great things.
Then become lord of your own castle and domain.
But as you dream those dreams, before you know it,
your hair will turn as gray as mine.
By that time
you've lost your parents and you're all alone.
Tomorrow you go home.
You've learned a lot these four or five days.
You have fine stories to tell.
Please, sir. I beg you to let him come along.
Why not let him come? You call him a kid, but -
Actually,
kids work harder than adults.
But only if you treat them like adults.
Then let's treat him like an adult.
That means only two more.
Actually just one, it seems.
You wish to join us?
I'm very grateful.
- When do we depart? - Tomorrow.
Tomorrow?
This is enough. We don't have time to find the last one.
All right, then.
Master!
- All right.
- Master! - All right! That's enough of that!
Hey, I just found a real tough samurai.
There was a huge fight. They were no match for him.
Never seen anything like it. He's like a wild dog.
Someone stopped the fight. They started drinking.
I told him about you.
He's on his way.
Shall we give him the usual?
What are you doing?
Testing him.
That's a dirty trick!
Hey, samurai! - Just shut up and watch.
A true samurai won't get hit.
But this guy's drunk!
A samurai never drinks enough to dull his wits.
I told you! You guys are nuts.
What the -
Who the hell hit me?
You?
Who hit me?
You?
Damn bastard!
You again!
I see that bald head of yours in my dreams!
Hey, you.
How dare you even ask me if I'm a samurai!
You got some nerve!
Don't mess with me.
I may look like hell, but I'm a real samurai!
I've been looking for you ever since that day.
Wanted you to see this.
Look at this!
This is my family tree. All my ancestors are here.
Damn you, trying to make a fool outta me. Screw you.
Looky here.
Making a fool outta me.
My honorable self is right here.
So this Kikuchiyo here would be you?
That is correct.
"Kikuchiyo, born February 17, 1574."
What's so damned funny?
You hardly look 13 years old to me.
If you are in fact the Kikuchiyo listed here,
you'd now be precisely 13 years old.
Where'd you steal this family tree?
Steal it? Shit!
Damn jerks.
To hell with samurai.
To hell with samurai!
Hey, you bastard!
Come back here!
Goddamn it, you son of a bitch!
What's wrong, teenager? Here you are.
Damn you!
Come back here!
What's wrong, Lord Kikuchiyo?
What's the matter, junior?
Screw samurai!
- Is he really a samurai? - In his own mind, anyway.
Take me too!
Hey, Kikuchiyo.
Guard your treasure.
Let me go too!
What is it, Father?
What is it?
What are you staring at?
Shino, cut off your hair.
Cut your hair and dress like a man.
- What are you talking about? - Just cut it off!
It's only because I love you. No telling what those samurai'll do!
No!
No, I won't!
Shino!
He's a fool.
But Manzo knows those samurai better than anyone.
If he cut off his daughter's hair, he must have good reason.
You've only got sons, so you're safe, but we -
Goddamn it! Now I understand.
So you agree to hide my daughter at your place across the bridge?
Idiot! I meant that I see what Manzo's up to.
That rascal doesn't care about the village, only about his daughter.
Damn him!
Look what you've done!
Now the whole village is crazed.
Every family with a girl's gone mad.
How do you plan to set this right?
The samurai will show up any day now.
Come on. We're seeing the Old Man.
There's nothing to see here! Go home!
We can't let the samurai see us like this.
He's still following us.
Where did Kikuchiyo go?
Think he gave up?
It's funny.
Now that he's gone, it's almost a little...
Ionely.
This way.
Oh, hell!
So that's our castle, eh?
No way I'm gonna die in that dungheap.
No one asked you to.
We're back! The samurai have arrived!
The samurai are here!
What's wrong with you? The samurai are here!
Hey, what's wrong?
What's the matter?
This is a fine welcome.
What's the meaning of this?
Hey, what's going on? The samurai have arrived!
- We'll go see the Old Man. - The Old Man?
Whatever happens in the village, the Old Man -
He's the village elder?
An audience with the village elder. This is truly an honor.
Well, let's go.
I know they're being foolish.
All farmers ever do is worry,
whether the rain falls, the sun shines, or the wind blows.
In short,
all they know is fear.
Their behavior today...
is also due simply to fear.
But Old Man, why do the villagers fear us?
What can they expect from us under such circumstances?