Sword of Penitence

Sword of Penitence (Zange no yaiba) is a 1927 Japanese silent film by Yasujirō Ozu. It is the first film directed by Ozu and was also the first of his many collaborations with screenwriter Kogo Noda.

Production

The film is the first that Ozu made after being promoted to director, however the first scene was filmed by Torajiro Saito as Ozu had been called away for military service before filming was completed. No script or prints of the film survive today.

Plot

Sakichi, who has just been released after five years in prison, is telling his younger brother Ishimatsu that he intends to turn his back on crime when an acquaintance of theirs, Genshichi, bursts in. Genshichi is in flight from officers of the law, having been disturbed in the course of a burglary. Sakichi and Ishimatsu allow him to hide with them, but Sakichi urges him to give up his life of crime. Genshichi laughs derisively and disappears. Sakichi apprentices himself to a rice-merchant and by his diligence and honesty earns his employer's trust. Ishimatsu steals a valuable hair ornament from Oyae, the daughter of a wealthy merchant. As he flees, pursued by the constable Manabe, he happens to meet Sakichi on the road. Without warning, he presses the ornament into Sakichi's hand and runs off. Manabe sees the ornament in Sakichi's possession and is about to take him into custody when Oyae and her attendant arrive and tell him that Sakichi is not the thief. Manabe lets Sakichi go, but questions him about Ishimatsu. Sakichi denies knowing Ishimatsu's whereabouts. Manabe then reveals Sakichi's criminal past, causing him to be dismissed from his apprenticeship. Despairing, he turns to drink. Ishimatsu finally decides to mend his ways and suggests to Sakichi that they should return together to their native village, but the disillusioned Sakichi says that society will not allow anyone with a criminal record to turn over a new leaf because it will not believe that the conversion is genuine. Some time later, Ishimatsu and Sakichi are pursued by the constables. They separate and Sakichi is aided by Oyae, who conceals him at her father's business premises. The next morning Sakichi hears the sound of money being counted in the next room. In a sleepwalking trance he raids the cash-box. Oyae's father refrains from condemning him as a thief and even gives him more money to enable him to make a new start in life. Sakichi goes home and is packing his belongings with the intention of returning to his native village when Genshichi arrives and demands a share of the money. After a fight, Genshichi runs away. By chance, he meets Ishimatsu and attacks him. The badly injured Ishimatsu makes his way to Sakichi's house, which is then surrounded by a party of constables led by Manabe. Sakichi fights his way out, goes to the house where Genshichi is hiding, kills Genshichi, frees Oyae, whom Genshichi has kidnapped, and returns her safely to her father, his benefactor. Ishimatsu dies, and Sakichi is left pondering in despair the choice between dying himself and turning to outlawry.

The film's plot was summarised in the Japanese movie magazine Kinema Junpo (1 October 1927). The same magazine's review of the film (21 November 1927) points out that it owes much of its plot to American movies, including Kick In (directed by George Fitzmaurice in two versions, 1917 and 1922; Japanese title The Collapse of Civilisation [Bunmei no hakai]) and Les Miserables (1918, directed by Frank Lloyd). The two Kinema Junpo articles are reprinted in Ozu Yasujiro Zenshu [Collected Works of Ozu Yasujiro], 2 volumes, Shinshokan, Tokyo, 2003, Vol. 1 pp 15-16.

External links

• Sword of Penitence at the Internet Movie Database