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80% Critic Match
Saga from Chichibu Mountains - Sword Cuts the Shadows
8.0 / 10• 1967• 1h 24m•NR• Japanese
Action
Storyline
During the 1880's a young swordsman, Saotome Gengo, on his way to Tokyo stops at an inn in a small town. But he does not know that his prowess has already attracted envious attention and that Senzo, the boss of the local gang, plans to have him killed. Seiji, the disowned son of the innkeeper, has run up a big gambling bill and, to settle it, the hoodlums decide to kill him. He is saved, however, by Hanako, star of the dancing troupe also staying at the inn. Gengo meets Hanako and learns that the troupe cannot open their show because the local police corruptly demand too much of the receipts. After another fight, Gengo sees the police-chief on behalf of the troupe, but is refused. So he suspects that the police and the hoodlums are implicated with each other. There seems no way to open the show until they hear that the governor is coming to the town for a local banquet. They appeal to him and he promises to investigate. It is decided that a duel will settle the matter...
Cast & Crew
Hideki Takahashi
Gengo Saotome
Lead
Michitarō Mizushima
Sangorô Oiwake
Hiroshi Minami
Keijirô Ichinose
Yōko Yamamoto
Emi
Ryōji Hayama
Kakunoshin Okada
Tōru Abe
Detective Kuroshima
Shōki Fukae
Morita
Osamu Takizawa
Yoshida
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Motomu Ida's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
4.0
“Every frame feels alive. Saga from Chichibu Mountains - Sword Cuts the Shadows is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
