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Yojimbo

Original title: Yôjinbô
  • 1961
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 50m
IMDb RATING
8.2/10
126K
YOUR RATING
Toshirô Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai in Yojimbo (1961)
A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town.
Play trailer2:35
2 Videos
99+ Photos
ActionDramaThriller

A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town.A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town.A crafty ronin comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town.

  • Director
    • Akira Kurosawa
  • Writers
    • Akira Kurosawa
    • Ryûzô Kikushima
  • Stars
    • Toshirô Mifune
    • Eijirô Tôno
    • Tatsuya Nakadai
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    8.2/10
    126K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Akira Kurosawa
    • Writers
      • Akira Kurosawa
      • Ryûzô Kikushima
    • Stars
      • Toshirô Mifune
      • Eijirô Tôno
      • Tatsuya Nakadai
    • 239User reviews
    • 144Critic reviews
    • 93Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #145
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 4 wins & 2 nominations total

    Videos2

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:35
    Watch Official Trailer
    What to Watch If You Love "The Mandalorian"
    Clip 2:33
    Watch What to Watch If You Love "The Mandalorian"

    Photos105

    Toshirô Mifune, Daisuke Katô, and Tatsuya Nakadai in Yojimbo (1961)
    Toshirô Mifune, Seizaburô Kawazu, and Isuzu Yamada in Yojimbo (1961)
    Toshirô Mifune in Yojimbo (1961)
    Toshirô Mifune and Isuzu Yamada in Yojimbo (1961)
    Toshirô Mifune and Atsushi Watanabe in Yojimbo (1961)
    Yojimbo (1961)
    Toshirô Mifune in Yojimbo (1961)
    Yôko Tsukasa in Yojimbo (1961)
    Yojimbo (1961)
    Toshirô Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadai, Ikio Sawamura, and Yôko Tsukasa in Yojimbo (1961)
    Toshirô Mifune and Tatsuya Nakadai in Yojimbo (1961)
    Toshirô Mifune in The Hidden Fortress (1958)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Toshirô Mifune
    Toshirô Mifune
    • Sanjuro Kuwabatake…
    Eijirô Tôno
    Eijirô Tôno
    • Gonji - Tavern Keeper
    Tatsuya Nakadai
    Tatsuya Nakadai
    • Unosuke - Gunfighter
    Yôko Tsukasa
    Yôko Tsukasa
    • Nui
    Isuzu Yamada
    Isuzu Yamada
    • Orin
    Daisuke Katô
    Daisuke Katô
    • Inokichi - Ushitora's Rotund Brother
    Seizaburô Kawazu
    Seizaburô Kawazu
    • Seibê - Brothel Operator
    Takashi Shimura
    Takashi Shimura
    • Tokuemon - Sake Brewer
    Hiroshi Tachikawa
    • Yoichiro
    Yôsuke Natsuki
    Yôsuke Natsuki
    • Kohei's Son
    Kamatari Fujiwara
    Kamatari Fujiwara
    • Tazaemon
    Ikio Sawamura
    Ikio Sawamura
    • Hansuke
    Atsushi Watanabe
    • The Cooper - Coffin-Maker
    Susumu Fujita
    • Homma - Instructor Who Skips Town
    Kyû Sazanka
    Kyû Sazanka
    • Ushitora
    Kô Nishimura
    Kô Nishimura
    • Kuma
    Takeshi Katô
    Takeshi Katô
    • Ronin Kobuhachi
    Ichirô Nakatani
    Ichirô Nakatani
    • First Samurai
    • Director
      • Akira Kurosawa
    • Writers
      • Akira Kurosawa
      • Ryûzô Kikushima
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Akira Kurosawa challenged his assistant directors to come up with an image for the film to let Sanjuro know he was entering a bad town. He shot down all of their ideas, since all of them had already been done. Kurosawa himself then came up with the idea of the dog carrying the human hand.
    • Goofs
      In the initial fight scene, The Samurai cuts the first two adversaries in the mid-section, then slices the last man's arm off. That last man is first seen from behind holding the sword in his right arm above his head, but the arm holding the sword shown moments later is a left arm.
    • Quotes

      Sanjuro: I'll get paid for killing, and this town is full of people who deserve to die.

    • Alternate versions
      The initial US release ran only 75 minutes, 35 minutes shorter than the original version at 110 minutes.
    • Connections
      Featured in The 62nd Annual Academy Awards (1990)

    User reviews239

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    Sensational!
    If I had to choose only one movie for film students to learn from, this would be it. Other films may be more profound, or their imagery more groundbreaking, but this one is so tightly constructed that nothing - not a frame, word, or gesture - is extraneous.

    Toshiro Mifune, one of the world's most charismatic actors, is perfection as a tough loner of a samurai who takes it upon himself to clean up a town corrupted by two gambling clans. Swirling through and around him is a story that is both technically flawless and profoundly moving.

    Kurosawa meticulously infuses every detail with meaning; there's a purpose behind every shot, and aspiring directors should pay close attention (why is the camera slightly tilted? why are there concubines in the background?). His economy of style was never more amazing; watch as the samurai rides into town, and the director establishes the atmosphere with exactly one jaw-dropping shot. And the story is equally well-crafted, with no plot holes and no inconsistencies.

    A wonderful tale that rolls beautifully from start to finish. See it, see it, see it!!
    helpful•72
    6
    • Tigereyes
    • Nov 11, 2001

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    FAQ3

    • Is 'Yojimbo' based on a book?
    • Who did the man with the prayer drums kill?
    • Any recommendations for movies similar to "Yojimbo"?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 13, 1961 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • The Bodyguard
    • Filming locations
      • Toho Studios, Tokyo, Japan(Studio)
    • Production companies
      • Kurosawa Production Co.
      • Sammy
      • Toho Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $46,808
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $15,942
      • Jul 28, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $46,808
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 50 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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