Hukinojo is a female impersonator actor travelling with a kubuki troupe. When performing in Edo, he comes across the three men who drove his parents to suicide and he plots their demise. Meanwhile there is a side story of rivalling thieves, who get mixed up in Hukinojo's plans, some helping, others hindering.
Legendary Japanese actor, Kazuo Hasegawa, plays dual roles of Hukinojo and also Yamitaro, a Robin Hood type thief who feels connected to the actor as a brother and vows to help him in his plans.
This dual role had been played by the Hasegaa in the 1935 film Yukinojo Henge and this film was commisioned to mark his 300th appearance in movies.
It's a bit of a departure of styles from the director, Kon Ichikawa, who was made to direct this project after his past few films had failed to make money. Doing so under duress, he allegedly camped things up to the max, but it's this exuberance that makes this film such a sumptuous delight.
Very theatrical, the film opens with an actual kubuki performance, but the film is steeped in it's style throughout. The sets are almost stage scenery. The swordplay is dramatically lit and almost shadow play. Much of Hukinojo's lines are said aside to the audience. It has no shame to dip into theatrics and is enormously resplendent for it, even going so far as finishing with the stage curtain closing.
I am a bit of a sucker for things Nipon, but it's hard to deny the likeability of this feast.
Dramatically lit Hasegawa as Yukinojo.
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