The 47 Ronin
In the early 18th-century, Lord Takumi-no-kami Asano, feuding with Lord Kira, tries to kill his opponent in the corridors of the Shogun's palace. The Shogun sentences Asano to seppuku and deprives the palace and lands from his clan, but does not punish Kira. Asano's vassals leave the land and his samurais become ronin and want to seek revenge against the Lord's dishonour. But their leader Kuranosuke Oishi seeks to restore the Asano clan with his brother Daigaku Asano. One year later, the Shogun refuses, and Oishi and 46 rōnin are out for revenge.
From the archive
“History speaks for itself” “Immersion in an ancient and different culture” “Most inspiring movie” “Slow and talky” (IMDB reviews quotes). A lengthy propaganda epic loosely based on the 18th century tale of samurai whose loyalty to their master transcended his death. Produced for the Japanese military government as a way to instill the public with the so-called Bushido virtues for the impending war. Huge cast and flawless production. IMDB rating 7.5. Directed by Kengi Mizoguchi. Released in 1941 & 1942 (JP only). Complete print. Japanese language with English subtitles. AKA “Genroku Chushingura"
Why this is free to watch
The 47 Ronin (1941) is hosted by the Internet Archive as a public-domain or openly licensed work, which means its copyright has expired, lapsed, or was released by the rights holder. The uploader declared an explicit licence, linked in the source panel. Nitrate streams the file directly from the Archive and hosts no video itself.
- Director
- Kenji Mizoguchi
- Starring
- Chōjūrō Kawarasaki, Kan'emon Nakamura, Kunitarō Kawarasaki, Chōemon Bandō, Kikunojo Segawa, Utaemon Ichikawa, Yoshizaburo Arashi, Daisuke Katō
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