A humble page fathers a child by the daughter of a clan official and is banished. Years later, the child, now a stable boy, is reunited with his father, but feudal codes threaten their happiness. Uchida’s poignant masterpiece condemns the inflexible class system and launches an indictment of values that favor symbolic objects over human life. The film’s focus is on character rather than swordplay, and charged performances - especially child actor Motoharu Ueki - add to the emotional power.

Genres

Cast

Shūji Sano

Isuzu Yamada

Motoharu Ueki

Shinobu Chihara

Kokuten Kōdō

Eitarō Shindō

Tsuyako Okajima

Yoshio Yoshida

Koji Arima

Satomi Oka

Tamami Natsu