Evil Man of Edo
Director: Masahiro
Makino
Year: 1959
Rating: 7.0
This is a delightful period film that should
plant a big smile on your face by the end. That is not something you can
usually claim with a Samurai film. Not that strictly speaking, it is a Samurai
film. It has its share of sword play and death but it is finely layered with
romance, comedy, tragedy, music and community. As the director, Masahiro
Makino effortlessly blends all these elements together to bake a tasty pie
from the first minute to the endearing end.
Namino (Keiko Okawa), the daughter of a
wealthy family, is being pushed into an arranged marriage to a man she hates.
Her great grandfather whispers to her to run away to Edo (Tokyo). She does
and in traditional movie manner, she disguises herself as a fifteen year
old boy. No one thinks it odd that she has a woman's voice and cute face.
She is adorable. She is on her own and asks Sanshiro (Ryutaro Otomo) to put
her/him up. Sanshiro is an ex-Samurai and now a teacher of children and maker
of umbrellas, called sensei by everyone. He lives in a small poor area of
Edo and he has pulled them altogether to look after each other. The female
pickpocket, the wife of a Samurai gone missing, her young son, the two who
love sake, the kindly money lender and others. All part of the community
helping each out when bad luck strikes anyone.
The villain of the piece is played by the
always villainous Isao Yamagata and he is trying to force them off their
land and is using a phony fortune-teller to help. When the community needs
to raise 50 ryo they contribute what they can but when they come up short
they do what Rooney and Garland would do - put on a show. One act being Sword
Forms when Sanshiro kills some thugs. It all melds together as we meet the
neighbors and witness the everyday lives of the people with little to their
names but friendship.
