TASOGARE SEIBEI (TWILIGHT SAMURAI)

Japan, 2002, 129 minutes, Colour.
Hiroyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa.
Directed by Yoji Yamada.

Twilight Samurai is the first in a trilogy by prolific Japanese director Yoji Yamada. Having made many popular films and television series for several decades, he turned his attention to the transition period in the 19th century from the feudal system to a more modern Japan. This was the era of clan clashes but also the end of the Samurai age.

While there are some battles in his films, the focus is on the human drama. He focuses on people who want to be rather obscure, lack ambition, but are humane in their relationships and in their service to the lord?

In this film, there is a widower who is looking after his two children, lacking in means, unkempt and not looking after himself in personal cleanliness. His friends mock him and call him the Twilight Samurai. However, he is challenged on behalf of his friend for an honour fight which he does with a bamboo stick rather than a sword (which he had sold for his wife’s funeral). There is also a confrontation at the end, preceded by a long talk about the differing values, the change in society in Japan at the time.

There is also a rather tender love story where a young woman who has married an alcoholic brute is divorced and would like to marry the samurai, her childhood friend. However, he is so controlled that he does not know how to accept this offer.

As with the other films in the trilogy, the photography is beautiful, the construction of the film humane and elegant. The succeeding films were The Hidden Blade (2004) and Love and Honour (2006).

1.The impact of the film as a Japanese drama? The samurai background? The lack of emphasis on martial arts and on the more human story?

2.The 19th century, the village, the samurai’s house, the fields? The small community? The colour photography? The musical score?

3.The introduction to Seibei? At work, his fellow workers going for a drink, his going home, his care for his two daughters? The hard work? Their complaints about his cleanliness and smell? At work, the discussions about the dried codfish, the arrival of the lord, his comment on his cleanliness? The officials and their being upset? His saying he would do better?

4.The voice-over of the little girl, the death of her mother, the expensive funeral at the demands of the family? Their poverty? The two sisters, five and ten? Their love for their father, not being lonely? Going to school, studying Confucious, studying sewing? The angry comments of the uncle about Seibei, about girls and their learning?

5.Seibei’s mother, dementia, her presence in the house, the family’s care for her? Her recognising Tomoe? Not recognising her son?

6.The visit from the friend who had been to Edo? The story of his sister, the drunken husband, the divorce? The sister visiting Seibei, getting on well with the children? The return home, her husband and his brutality? The challenge to the duel?

7.Seibei and his standing in for his friend? Preparing for the fight? No sword because of the sale? The bamboo stick? The discussion with his opponent? The fight and his victory? The news going round the town, his fellow workers and their amazement?

8.The change of situation, the clan wars after the death of the lord? Civil wars? Seibei and his being caught up in this?

9.Tomoe, her coming to the house, her looking after the children, their delight in her presence? Cleaning the house? Her brother and the fishing, proposing the marriage, Seibei and his refusal? His later regret?

10.The preparation for the fight, the demands of the lord, the loyalty to the clan? Obedience? Tomoe helping to prepare his kimono, his hair?

11.Going to the site of the fight? The people around, the corpse and the flies? Going into the house? The samurai intending to run? Seibei and his strict code for the killing? The drink, the discussions? The samurai and the story of his wife, her death, his daughter’s death? Feeling slighted? The fight itself? The samurai’s death?

12.The aftermath, the daughter as an old woman at her father’s grave? The story of his life and his death in battle? Tomoe as their stepmother, her kindness, her burial with Seibei?

13.A humane story – and a different perspective on the samurai tradition?