Yojimbo
A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake merchant Tokuemon to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.
Critics Sentiment
Sanjuro returns to eliminate Ushitora and his gang
Unosuke captures and tortures Sanjuro for information
The film dips during Sanjuro's capture and torture sequence before surging to its peak with the climactic final confrontation.
Yojimbo maintains consistently high audience appreciation throughout, with particular praise for Mifune's magnetic performance and Kurosawa's stylish direction. The film builds from a strong atmospheric opening through clever plotting to a thrilling climax that critics universally celebrate. While some reviewers note occasional pacing issues in the middle section, the overall sentiment remains overwhelmingly positive for this influential masterpiece.
Full cast
Showing 20 of 51
Toshirō Mifune
Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai
Tatsuya Nakadai
Unosuke, gunfighter
Yōko Tsukasa
Nui
Isuzu Yamada
Orin
Daisuke Katō
Inokichi
Seizaburō Kawazu
Seibê - brothel operator
Takashi Shimura
Tokuemon, sake brewer
Hiroshi Tachikawa
Yoichiro
Yōsuke Natsuki
Kohei's Son
Eijirō Tōno
Gonji, Tavern Keeper
Kamatari Fujiwara
Tazaemon
Ikio Sawamura
Hansuke
Atsushi Watanabe
The Cooper (Coffin-Maker)
Susumu Fujita
Homma, Instructor Who Skips Town
Kyū Sazanka
Ushitora
Kō Nishimura
Kuma
Takeshi Katō
Ronin Kobuhachi
Ichirō Nakatani
First Samurai
Sachio Sakai
First Foot Soldier
Akira Tani
Kame
Crew
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