This article is missing information about plot, production, and reception. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page.(February 2015)
The 47 Ronin (元禄 忠臣蔵, Genroku Chūshingura, "The Treasury of Loyal Retainers of the Genroku Era") is a black-and-white two-part jidaigekiJapanese film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, adapted from a play by Seika Mayama.[3] The first part was released on December 1, 1941 with the second part being released on February 11 of the following year. The film depicts the legendary forty-seven Ronin and their plot to avenge the death of their lord, Asano Naganori, by killing Kira Yoshinaka, a shogunate official responsible for Asano being forced to commit seppuku.
The plot revolves around the consequences of an attack by Lord Asano Naganori on Lord Kira Yoshinaka, an influential court official in the Tokugawa Shogunate. After overhearing Kira insult him in public, Asano strikes Kira with a sword in the corridors of Edo Castle, but succeeds only in wounding him. As attacking a Shogunate official is a grave offense, Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi sentences Asano to commit seppuku and issues an edict stripping the Asano Clan of their lands and wealth. Kira, meanwhile, is not punished by the Shogun because, it is thought, of family connections. As a result of the Shogun's judgement, all samurai loyal to the Asano Clan become rōnin while the late Lord Asano's family is ruined. Many of the rōnin wish to seek revenge against Kira for the dishonor of their Lord, but their leader, Ōishi Kuranosuke, convinces them to wait while he first petitions the Shogun to restore the Asano Clan. When the Shogun refuses his request, Ōishi and the other forty-six rōnin begin planning their revenge. But because Kira has surrounded himself with warriors in his residence, Ōishi first disarms suspicion by posing as a drunkard and womanizer, to his own dishonor, and goes to the length of divorcing his wife.
Almost two years after the death of Asano, the forty-seven assemble in Edo and stage an attack on Kira's residence, resulting in Kira and several of his followers being killed. This is not shown on the screen but is reported in a letter to Asano's wife, who has returned to her father. After laying Kira's head on Asano's grave and formally making a report of their actions before it, the forty-seven turn themselves in to the authorities. There is sympathy for the rōnin for their faithfulness and sacrifice in such difficult circumstances and the forty-seven are granted the honorable death of committing seppuku despite their act of defiance. This comes at the end of some months' deliberation and is greeted with singing and dancing by the warriors. Each is then summoned down the corridors of the castle to enact the sentence; Ōishi is left until last and courteously excuses himself to the visitor to his room when his turn comes.
During the war, Kenji Mizoguchi was forced to make artistic compromises, producing propaganda for the military government. In 1941, the Japanese military commissioned him to make Genroku Chūshingura. They wanted a ferocious morale booster based on the familiar rekishi geki ("historical drama") of The Loyal 47 Ronin. Instead, Mizoguchi chose for his source Mayama Chūshingura, a cerebral play dealing with the story. The government foisted the project on the director as a wartime morale booster, and as justification for the expansionist, nationalistic, and ultimately suicidal world war that Japan was embroiled in during the middle of the 20th century.[4] The film is prefaced by the words: Defend the Homes of Those Who Fight for a Greater Asia (護れ興亞の兵の家)
Receptionedit
Part One was a commercial failure at a cost of ¥530,000,[5] having been released in Japan one week before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese military and most audiences found the first part to be too serious, but the studio and Mizoguchi both regarded it as so important that Part Two was put into production, despite lukewarm reception for Part One. The film wasn't shown in America until the 1970s.[6]
ronin, 1941, film, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, addi. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources The 47 Ronin 1941 film news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article is missing information about plot production and reception Please expand the article to include this information Further details may exist on the talk page February 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message The 47 Ronin 元禄 忠臣蔵 Genroku Chushingura The Treasury of Loyal Retainers of the Genroku Era is a black and white two part jidaigeki Japanese film directed by Kenji Mizoguchi adapted from a play by Seika Mayama 3 The first part was released on December 1 1941 with the second part being released on February 11 of the following year The film depicts the legendary forty seven Ronin and their plot to avenge the death of their lord Asano Naganori by killing Kira Yoshinaka a shogunate official responsible for Asano being forced to commit seppuku The 47 RoninScene with Chōjuro KawarasakiDirected byKenji MizoguchiScreenplay byKenichirō HaraYoshikata YodaBased onthe kabuki play by Mayama SeikaProduced byShintaro ShiraiStarringChōjuro KawarasakiKanemon NakamuraKunitarō KawarazakiUtaemon IchikawaCinematographyKōhei SugiyamaEdited byTakako KujiMusic byShirō FukaiProductioncompanyShochikuDistributed byShochiku Kinema Kenkyu joRelease datesDecember 1 1941 1941 12 01 Part 1 Japan 1 February 11 1942 1942 02 11 Part 2 Japan 2 March 1979 1979 03 U S citation needed Running time223 min 112 min part 1 111 min part 2 CountryJapanLanguageJapanese Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Inception 4 Reception 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksPlot editThe plot revolves around the consequences of an attack by Lord Asano Naganori on Lord Kira Yoshinaka an influential court official in the Tokugawa Shogunate After overhearing Kira insult him in public Asano strikes Kira with a sword in the corridors of Edo Castle but succeeds only in wounding him As attacking a Shogunate official is a grave offense Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi sentences Asano to commit seppuku and issues an edict stripping the Asano Clan of their lands and wealth Kira meanwhile is not punished by the Shogun because it is thought of family connections As a result of the Shogun s judgement all samurai loyal to the Asano Clan become rōnin while the late Lord Asano s family is ruined Many of the rōnin wish to seek revenge against Kira for the dishonor of their Lord but their leader Ōishi Kuranosuke convinces them to wait while he first petitions the Shogun to restore the Asano Clan When the Shogun refuses his request Ōishi and the other forty six rōnin begin planning their revenge But because Kira has surrounded himself with warriors in his residence Ōishi first disarms suspicion by posing as a drunkard and womanizer to his own dishonor and goes to the length of divorcing his wife Almost two years after the death of Asano the forty seven assemble in Edo and stage an attack on Kira s residence resulting in Kira and several of his followers being killed This is not shown on the screen but is reported in a letter to Asano s wife who has returned to her father After laying Kira s head on Asano s grave and formally making a report of their actions before it the forty seven turn themselves in to the authorities There is sympathy for the rōnin for their faithfulness and sacrifice in such difficult circumstances and the forty seven are granted the honorable death of committing seppuku despite their act of defiance This comes at the end of some months deliberation and is greeted with singing and dancing by the warriors Each is then summoned down the corridors of the castle to enact the sentence Ōishi is left until last and courteously excuses himself to the visitor to his room when his turn comes Cast editActors in the film include 1 Chōjuro Kawarasaki as Ōishi Kuranosuke 大石 内蔵助 Kanemon Nakamura as Tominomori Sukeemon 富森 助右衛門 Kunitarō Kawarazaki as Isogai Jurōzaemon 礒貝 十郎左衛門 Chōemon Bandō as Hara Sōemon 原 惣右衛門 Sukezō Sukedakaya as Yoshida Chuzaemon 吉田 忠左衛門 Kikunojo Segawa as Otaka Gengo 大高 源五 Utaemon Ichikawa as Tokugawa Ienobu 徳川 家宣 Yoshizaburō Arashi as Asano Naganori 浅野 長矩 Kazutoyo Mimasu as Kira Yoshinaka 吉良 義央 Tokusaburō Arashi as Okuno Shōgen 奥野 将監 Masao Shimizu as Katō Akihide 加藤 明英 Mitsuko Miura as Yosenin 瑤泉院 Asano s wifeUncredited Seizaburō Kawazu as Hosokawa Tsunatoshi 細川 綱利 Mieko Takamine as Omino おみの Isogai s fianceeInception editDuring the war Kenji Mizoguchi was forced to make artistic compromises producing propaganda for the military government In 1941 the Japanese military commissioned him to make Genroku Chushingura They wanted a ferocious morale booster based on the familiar rekishi geki historical drama of The Loyal 47 Ronin Instead Mizoguchi chose for his source Mayama Chushingura a cerebral play dealing with the story The government foisted the project on the director as a wartime morale booster and as justification for the expansionist nationalistic and ultimately suicidal world war that Japan was embroiled in during the middle of the 20th century 4 The film is prefaced by the words Defend the Homes of Those Who Fight for a Greater Asia 護れ興亞の兵の家 Reception editPart One was a commercial failure at a cost of 530 000 5 having been released in Japan one week before the attack on Pearl Harbor The Japanese military and most audiences found the first part to be too serious but the studio and Mizoguchi both regarded it as so important that Part Two was put into production despite lukewarm reception for Part One The film wasn t shown in America until the 1970s 6 See also editThe Loyal 47 Ronin 忠臣蔵 Chushingura 1958 film by Kunio Watanabe Daiei star studded cast Akō Rōshi 1961 film by Sadatsugu Matsuda Toei star studded cast Chushingura Hana no Maki Yuki no Maki 1962 color film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki Toho star studded cast Daichushingura 大忠臣蔵 Daichushingura 1971 television dramatization The Fall of Ako Castle 赤穂城断絶 Akō jō danzetsu aka Swords Of Vengeance 1978 film by Kinji Fukasaku Matsu no Ōrōka List of historical drama films of AsiaReferences edit a b The 47 Ronin Part I Japanese Movie Database Retrieved 8 February 2009 The 47 Ronin Part II Retrieved 8 February 2009 元禄 忠臣蔵とは kotobank Retrieved 10 November 2018 Landazuri Margarita The 47 Ronin Turner Classic Movies Gary Morris November 1 1999 Tragic Poignancy Kenji Mizoguchi s The Loyal 47 Ronin Bright Lights Film Journal Movies Chicago Reader External links editThe 47 Ronin at IMDb The 47 Ronin at the TCM Movie Database The 47 Ronin at AllMovie Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The 47 Ronin 1941 film amp oldid 1177430927, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
