I haven't liked a movie this much in a long time! I watched it twice and liked it even more with the second viewing. I love that feeling!
The Hidden Blade is a samurai film, directed by Yoji Yamada, but not a typical samurai film. There is not much fighting. It reminds me of The Seven Samurai in its attention to character development and willingness to let a story evolve at its own pace.
Katagiri is a lower caste samurai whose family situation was made even more difficult by his father having to commit harakiri over a public works project. His family's household includes a maid, Kie. Katagiri and Kie are in love, but she is of a lower caste than Katagiri, and nothing between them is ever acknowledged or even contemplated. They are very proper, and it is lovely to watch.
Another samurai, Hazama, is sent to Edo for an assignment. In the years he is gone, Hazama becomes involved in a rebellion, is caught, and sent back to Katagiri's village in a prison basket. He escapes. Katagiri and Hazama were the best swordsmen in the clan, so Katagiri is assigned to fight Hazama to the death.
This movie takes place in about 1860, when Japan was feeling the need to update its military with guns and cannons in order to keep up with the West. Yamada takes the time to show us samurai trying to learn to run, march, load weapons, etc. This is comical, but also a view of changing culture, changing times and changing treatment of people. Katagiri is trying to deal with all this, and with possibly killing a friend, and he also is shaken by the behavior of his superiors. They are not acting with the honor of samurai. He eventually has to determine how much he can handle and what he can do about any of the rest. That is when we see the hidden blade.
Yamada is great. There are different story lines, but they all movie together well and smoothly - the mark of a great director. There are not neat answers, and he doesn't try to force a happy ending. He does, however, take the time to show us beautiful scenery, the close up of a face, and stressed out samurai trying to catch a chicken.
If you like great films, or samurai, or a good story, or interesting characters, pick this one up. And watch Seven Samurai too.
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