The Hidden Fortress (1958)

The Hidden Fortress (Kakushi-toride no san-akunin)
Directed by Akira Kurosawa
Written by Ryuzo Kikushima, Hideo Oguni, Shinobu Hashimoto, and Akira Kurosawa
1958/Japan
Toho Company
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental

[box] General Rokurota Makabe: Hide a stone among stones and a man among men.[/box]

Probably the most purely entertaining film that Kurosawa made.

As the film begins we meet our two bumbling, whining, bickering protagonists, Tahei and Matashichi.  The two peasants went out to find adventure and fortune and ended up being press-ganged into burying the corpses of the enemy instead.  But adventure and fortune still await them in the form of gold ingots they discover hidden in some firewood.  We quickly learn that greed is their driving passion.

They are not to keep the treasure for long.  Suddenly a menacing figure appears.  He says his name is Rotoruka Makabe (Toshiro Mifune).  The pair don’t believe him since that is the name of a great general of the Akizuki clan.  Makabe decides to play on the greed of the men and cleverly cons them into carrying all the gold across enemy lines.  The party is accompanied by a mysterious mute girl whom the audience knows is really the Akizuki  princess

This is pure fun and the closest Kurosawa ever came to comedy.  There’s also lots of action, including some classic fights and a big production number at a fire festival to add to the experience.  It was so nice to see this early example of a wise, strong, brave and noble heroine as well.  It was the first time Kurosawa filmed in Tohoscope and there are lots of innovative shots to ponder.  The stirring score is another highlight.

This film was famously the inspiration for Star Wars with the princess and peasants standing in for Princess Leia and C-3PO and R2-D2.  The analogy more or less ends there.

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