Bushi no Ichibun
Love and Honor
(c) 2006 Love and Honor Film Partners
- Release Date
- December, 1st, 2006
- Running Time
- 121 min
- Genre
- Feature
- Color
- Color
- Screening Format
- 35mm
[ Directed by ]
[ Produced by ]
[ Cast ]
- KIMURA Takuya ── MIMURA Shinnojo
- DAN Rei ── Kayo
- BANDO Mitsugoro ── SHIMADA Toya
[ Staff ]
- FUJISAWA Shuhei ── Original Story
- YAMADA Yoji ── Screenplay
- HIRAMATSU Emiko ── Screenplay
- YAMAMOTO Ichiro ── Screenplay
- NAGANUMA Mutsuo ── Director of Photography
- ISHII Iwao ── Editing
- TOMITA Isao ── Music
- DEGAWA Mitsuo ── Production Design
[ Production Company ]
Love and Honor Film Partners (c/o SHOCHIKU)
[ Story ]
Yamada Yoji's period drama trilogy based on a novel by Fujisawa Shuhei. This is the concluding part following The Twilight Samurai (Tasogare Seibei) and The Hidden Blade (Kakushi Ken Oni no Tsume). The film portrays a bond between a couple who maintained the Samurai's honor and overcame difficulties during the final years of the Tokugawa shogunate in the 19th century. The title in Japanese, "Bushi no Ichibun", represents the honor and "face" that Samurai must preserve even at the expense of one's life.
Mimura Shinnojo (Kimura Takuya) is a lower class samurai who is a poison taster for the domain lord. He is poor, but happily leading his humble life with his beautiful wife, Kayo (Dan Rei). One day, however, Shinnojo is poisoned during a tasting and loses his sight. He is relieved of his job and is reduced to poverty. It is such a time when Shimada (Bando Mitsugoro), a clerk, offers help to Kayo. He wants her body in return, and Kayo accepts the offer in tears in order to supplement the family income. When the relationship becomes public, Shinnojo is devastated for being robbed of his beloved wife and for his helplessness. He engages in a duel with Shimada to defend his wife and preserve his Samurai honor.
[ Film Festivals, Awards ]
Berlin International Film Festival 2007
JAPAN ACADEMY PRIZE 2006 - Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supprting Role
JAPAN ACADEMY PRIZE 2006 - Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography
JAPAN ACADEMY PRIZE 2006 - Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction
[ Contact (International) ]
SHOCHIKU CO., LTD.
International Sales & Licensing
Togeki Bldg., 4-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-8422
tel: +81-3-5550-1623
fax: +81-3-5550-1654
E-mail: ibd@shochiku.co.jp
http://www.shochikufilms.com
