The Case of Umon: Red Lizard
Director: Sadatsuga Matsuda
Year: 1962
Rating: 7.0
Samurai detective. This is as best as I can tell part of a series of period
films of Sir Kondo Umon who is a legendary crime solver in Edo. The other
titles I came across from a Google search are Case of Umon: Nanbanzame Murders
(1961), Case of Umon: Woman of the Magic Lantern (1961), The Case of Umon:
One-Eyed Wolf (1959) and The Case of Umon: Hell's Windmill. This though is
the only one I have found a video of. Hope to find others in the future because
I quite enjoyed it. Produced by Toei, it has terrific production values and
great period detail. And a few familiar faces. In particular, the actor who
portrays Umon, Ryûtarô Ôtomo who I have come across in
many period films and he is Umon in at least three films.
A tinker is murdered one late evening with a knife sticking out of his back.
The case is immediately taken over by the Head Police Officer Murakami (Eitarô
Shindô), a bit of a buffoon who takes credit where it is not deserved
and shifts blame when it is his doing. Shindo gives this role a great comic
gusto. Under him is Kondo Umon who has a famous reputation much to the ire
of Murakami. But both are stumped - who would want to kill a poor tinker.
And then another murder occurs. The killer is given the name the Red Lizard
and most of the suspicions fall on what seems to be a wild man (Kôtarô
Satomi) who keeps a live crow on his shoulder, But it is more complex than
that going back years. The Magistrate gives Umon five days to get the killer
or it's Seppuku Time. The film even has the traditional mystery denouement
- but with some spectacle as Umon creates a play in front of an audience
that brings it home to the killer. Nicely done. Also appearing are Naoko
Kubo as Miss Nao who is hiding something, Umon's foolish but effective servant
Denroku played by Shunji Sakai and Satomi Oka as Miss Shino.
