Shibukawa Bangorô

Fans of Japanese cinema are no doubt aware, that only a fragment of the films made in Japan during the silent age survive today. In the estimate of famous scholar Donald Richie (2001), 90% of films made before 1945 are now lost. Therefore, any films that have survived of the early years of Japanese cinema are a delight, no matter what their cinematic quality may be. "Shibukawa Bangoro" (Bangoro Shibukawa, 1922) is not the best of the silent jidai-geki films that have survived, but it is very interesting nevertheless. It was directed by Tsukiyama Kokichi, who made 18 films between 1922 and 1925. This was his debut, according to online sources at least.

The film is very action-heavy. There is all sorts of fighting from judo to sumo wrestling. The narrative is quite difficult to follow, but people move around fast enough for the film to maintain a functioning pace. The lead role of Bangoro is played by Onoe Matsunosuke, one of Japan's first movie stars. Based on this alone, it is difficult to estimate his range as an actor, and very little else survives from him. The characters are one-sided, as they often tended to be in pre-war period-films. Bangoro is a good fighter, but he has enemies who scheme against him. Later, in the most memorable segment of the loose narrative, he has to fight against a spider-witch, and that was entertaining to watch. On some other occasions, it is difficult to piece together what is happening, but the fighting is solid.