The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
| The Men Who Tread On the Tiger's Tail | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Akira Kurosawa |
| Produced by | Motohiko Itō |
| Written by | Akira Kurosawa |
| Starring |
Takashi Shimura Susumu Fujita Denjirō Ōkōchi Iwai Hanshirō X |
| Music by | Tadashi Hattori |
| Studio | Toho Studios |
| Distributed by | Toho Company Ltd. |
| Release dates | April 24, 1952 |
| Running time | 59 minutes |
| Country | Japan |
| Language | Japanese |
The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail (虎の尾を踏む男達 Tora no O o Fumu Otokotachi, aka They Who Step on the Tiger's Tail) is a 1945 Japanese period drama film, written and directed by Akira Kurosawa. It is based on the kabuki play Kanjinchō, which is in turn based on the Noh play Ataka.
The film stars Takashi Shimura, Iwai Hanshirō X, Susumu Fujita, Kenichi Enomoto, and Denjirō Ōkōchi.
The film was initially banned by the occupying Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers (SCAP) due to its portrayal of feudal values. It was later released after the signing of the Treaty of San Francisco in 1952.
Storyline
In 1185, the Heike family fights against the Minamoto family. After a bloody naval battle in the Pacific Ocean, Yoshitsune Minamoto defeats the enemy and the survivors commit suicide. When the triumphant Yoshitsune arrives in Kyoto, his brother, the Shogun Yoritomo, is uneasy and orders his men to arrest Yoshitsune. However, Yoshitsune escapes with six loyal samurai led by Benkei and they head to the country of his only friend Idehira Fukiwara. Near the border, after crossing the forest disguised as monks, their porter Suruga discovers that they are Yoshitsune and the six samurais and advises that the fearful Kagiwara and his soldiers are waiting for them in the border to arrest them. Yoshitsune disguises as a carrier and at the barrier at the border, Benkei has to convince Kagiwara that they are six monks traveling to collect donation to build a large temple in Kyoto.
Plot
The film begins with a shot of the landscape, after which it zooms in on a group of foot travelers and a porter. After walking for a while, they sit to rest, where the porter finds that this is Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Benkei, and his advisors. Their job is to cross a border checkpoint without being found, so they disguise themselves as monks. They are followed by porter as they make their way to the barrier set up to catch Benkei, and his advisors but they skillfully talk their way past the barrier, but Susumu Fujita as Togashi, commander of the border guards of the barrier sees through their disguises and sends his men after them. But rather than capture of the travelers the commanders men bring food and sake to help them on their journey.
Also known as
- They Who Step on the Tail of the Tiger
- They Who Step on the Tiger's Tail
- Walkers on the Tiger's Tail
Cast
- Denjirō Ōkōchi as Benkei
- Susumu Fujita as Togashi
- Kenichi Enomoto as porter
- Masayuki Mori as Kamei
- Takashi Shimura as Kataoka
- Akitake Kōno as Ise
- Yoshio Kosugi as Suruga
- Iwai Hanshirō X as Yoshitsune (Minamoto no Yoshitsune)
- Demio Yokoo as Hitachibō
- Yasuo Hisamatsu as Kajiwara's messenger
- Shōji Kiyokawa as Togashi's messenger
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail. |
- The Men Who Tread On the Tiger's Tail at the Internet Movie Database
- The Men Who Tread On the Tiger's Tail at allmovie
- The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail (Japanese) at the Japanese Movie Database
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