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68% Critic Match
The Fall of Ako Castle
6.8 / 10• 1978• 2h 39m•NR• Japanese
ActionDramaHistory
Storyline
This is the story of "The Forty-Seven Ronin." Based on historical events in 1701-2, the movie tells the tale of the Asano clan's downfall and the revenge of its former samurai on the perpetrator of the catastrophe. Lord Asano was goaded, or tricked, into drawing his sword inside the Shogun's palace -- a crime which carried the death penalty. The newly installed Shogun was furious at Asano and ordered all his clan's assets seized, meaning some 20,000 samurai and commoners were unemployed and landless at a stroke. Forty-seven of these ronin (masterless samurai) banded together to take attempt revenge on Lord Kira, who had goaded Asano into drawing his sword.
Cast & Crew
Kinnosuke Nakamura
Oishi Kuranosuke
Lead
Sonny Chiba
Fuwa Kazuemon
Tsunehiko Watase
Kobayashi Heihachiro
Teruhiko Saigō
Asano
Kyōko Enami
Ukibashi
Masaomi Kondo
Hashimoto Heizaemon
Shinsuke Mikimoto
—
Hiroki Matsukata
Denhachiro Tamon
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Kinji Fukasaku's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
3.0
“Every frame feels alive. The Fall of Ako Castle is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
